whats it like living in turkey?
46 Posts
hello i have a few friends living in marmaris turkey but they my friends and i would like to here from other people what its like as me and my family are thinking of moving out there in a couple of years we where going to go 2yrs ago but my wife fell pregnant to our 3rd beautiful daughter and its put us back a few year they said its the best thing that theyve done (my friends) but its a big step can anyone enlighten us on there views it would be very greatful
we are thinking about moving out there next summer, we are going on monday to try and suss out schools etc. my mother and her partner have lived there nearly 4 years and love it, there are some things that annoy them but every country has its + & -. they enjoy their lifestyle, sailing lots, eating out , enjoy driving off to different areas of turkey etc and said they couldnt afford to live in the uk as the do in turkey, things like water rates, poll tax etc is a lot cheaper, but petrol , cars etc are dearer than the uk. she also said some things that you would expect to be simple are difficult to sort out in turkey ie getting a phone line connected. but overall they are happy there and she said its so nice to see happy friendly people and good weather most of the year
Like you we have often thought about living in Turkey, what we have decided to do is, rent for a year and see what we think as holidaying and living in a place is entirly different, obviously its different for us as my husband is retired and i will be next year
But follow your dream, give it a go, come back if it dosnt work out, easier said than done with a a family to support i know but you will always wonder if you dont.
But follow your dream, give it a go, come back if it dosnt work out, easier said than done with a a family to support i know but you will always wonder if you dont.
In four years time when my youngest daughter has finished her education we will be selling up and moving abroad. We cannot decide between cyprus or turkey. But now both my daughters have decided to come with us it may be easier for them both to settle into jobs in cyprus 
The more i travel abroad the more i realise that some countries will offer a safer and more secure future for my children and any granchildren. I wish we could go right now.
The more i travel abroad the more i realise that some countries will offer a safer and more secure future for my children and any granchildren. I wish we could go right now.
wendywu,
your post rings a bell.
The more I travel the more I become convinced that the UK , for all the taxes etc we pay and all the laws that are passed,doesn't hold a candle to other places for making its people HAPPY.
Fair enough I only see the countries through the eyes of a tourist.
your post rings a bell.
The more I travel the more I become convinced that the UK , for all the taxes etc we pay and all the laws that are passed,doesn't hold a candle to other places for making its people HAPPY.
Fair enough I only see the countries through the eyes of a tourist.
I think if you're planning on moving to Turkey you need to ask yourself why you're doing it: are you going because you think Turkey will offer you more opportunities to better your life (like Australia for example); are you going because you have family already out there; or have you just fallen in love with the country whilst being on holiday out there?
Some people want to move abroad simply to 'escape' the UK - and that can cloud your judgment.
You really need to do lots and lots (and more lots) of research!
I know we all have our dreams, but when making a huge decision such as emigrating, you really need to take off any rose-coloured glasses you may be wearing and weigh up all the pro's and con's.
Some of the things you'll need to consider are:
How will you survive out there? What work will you do? You'll need to get a work permit (which isn't always easy). The wages are very poor out there, and unless you have a particular profession or trade, the Turks will always give work to a fellow Turk rather than a foreigner.
You'll also need to speak some Turkish: you'll be dealing with officials re: Resident Permits, Turkish Telcom etc.....and many of those people working in that sector speak no English at all.
If you have school-age children you'll need to get them into a school - which isn't cheap.
You'll need to take out private Medical Insurance for your family - that doesn't come cheap either. And don't forget, once you've been out of the UK for longer than six months you are no longer entitled to treatment on the NHS (if you were to return to the UK of course); and as you would no longer be contributing towards your State Pension - you will receive a much smaller amount once you reach retirement age.
It's a misnomer that Turkey is cheaper than the UK; some things are, but many things aren't.
Cars are ridiculously expensive (incidentally, forget about taking your own car over - they will charge you so much Import Tax it won't be worth your while: that also applies to taking all your household stuff out there - they'll Tax you on much of that too!)
Petrol is expensive; dearer than the UK. And household bills - electric/water etc are very expensive too.
The winters can be very cold and rainy, and many homes are difficult to heat. Not to mention expensive! You can buy some of those portable gas heaters, and a guy will come round and replace the gas cylinder for you, but they don't last long at all, and they're not cheap!! So heating in the winter is a problem if you are used to Central Heating in the UK.
You'll also need an independant water heater for the winter; as there's less sunshine, you won't be getting much hot water from your roof.
Electricity blackouts can be a huge nuisance - especially in the winter! It means lighting candles, and sitting shivering; anything up to six hours maybe! However, the blackouts don't affect every area all at the same time, and some of the blackouts only last for ten minutes or so: usually when you're watching Eastenders on BBC Prime (you can't get BBC1 or ITV in Turkey - so you can forget watching your favourite TV programmes).
If you move to a resort, most of them close down for the winter, and so you'll need to fill your time. Turkey doesn't have the vast shopping malls like we have (although Antalya has a very pleasant one - if not on the small side - and pricey side too), and it doesn't have all the theatres, museums, cafes, leisure centres, ice rinks, bowling alleys (although there's a small one in Oludeniz) general places you can go for entertainment.
You'll also find that the food and drink becomes awfully boring after a while. They don't have the huge array of choice that we have; and you can forget popping down to your local M&S for a tasty ready-made meal. Things even like cheddar cheese, pork sausages, good bacon, become items of fantasy for many ex-pats. Stuff like HP Sauce and ColEman's Mustard are weirdly expensive!
Imported drink is terribly expensive too - but you possible know that by your holidays.
Travelling abroad when in Turkey is also far more difficult. They don't have the likes of Easy Jet going to Paris, Rome, Madrid for £39!
If you sell up and move to Turkey you need to be aware that buying back into the UK market will be near impossible. Although the UK is going through a slight slump at the moment it will always pick up and take off again (demand outweighs supply) but in Turkey, the opposite is true. And many people can't sell their place out there for love nor money. So you could end up well and truly stuck in a place you no longer want - and that you can't sell!
Having said all that, I can see the attraction of Turkey for many people; the sunshine, the beaches, the scenery, the slow pace of life - but I'm not sure they outweigh the downsides. Especially when it's so hot you have to stay inside!
If you are still convinced that Turkey is for you, go there and rent somewhere for the winter and see how you get on. Better still, rent somewhere for a year. That way you won't have burnt your bridges if you decide the UK isn't so bad after all.
Strawberry
Some people want to move abroad simply to 'escape' the UK - and that can cloud your judgment.
You really need to do lots and lots (and more lots) of research!
I know we all have our dreams, but when making a huge decision such as emigrating, you really need to take off any rose-coloured glasses you may be wearing and weigh up all the pro's and con's.
Some of the things you'll need to consider are:
How will you survive out there? What work will you do? You'll need to get a work permit (which isn't always easy). The wages are very poor out there, and unless you have a particular profession or trade, the Turks will always give work to a fellow Turk rather than a foreigner.
You'll also need to speak some Turkish: you'll be dealing with officials re: Resident Permits, Turkish Telcom etc.....and many of those people working in that sector speak no English at all.
If you have school-age children you'll need to get them into a school - which isn't cheap.
You'll need to take out private Medical Insurance for your family - that doesn't come cheap either. And don't forget, once you've been out of the UK for longer than six months you are no longer entitled to treatment on the NHS (if you were to return to the UK of course); and as you would no longer be contributing towards your State Pension - you will receive a much smaller amount once you reach retirement age.
It's a misnomer that Turkey is cheaper than the UK; some things are, but many things aren't.
Cars are ridiculously expensive (incidentally, forget about taking your own car over - they will charge you so much Import Tax it won't be worth your while: that also applies to taking all your household stuff out there - they'll Tax you on much of that too!)
Petrol is expensive; dearer than the UK. And household bills - electric/water etc are very expensive too.
The winters can be very cold and rainy, and many homes are difficult to heat. Not to mention expensive! You can buy some of those portable gas heaters, and a guy will come round and replace the gas cylinder for you, but they don't last long at all, and they're not cheap!! So heating in the winter is a problem if you are used to Central Heating in the UK.
You'll also need an independant water heater for the winter; as there's less sunshine, you won't be getting much hot water from your roof.
Electricity blackouts can be a huge nuisance - especially in the winter! It means lighting candles, and sitting shivering; anything up to six hours maybe! However, the blackouts don't affect every area all at the same time, and some of the blackouts only last for ten minutes or so: usually when you're watching Eastenders on BBC Prime (you can't get BBC1 or ITV in Turkey - so you can forget watching your favourite TV programmes).
If you move to a resort, most of them close down for the winter, and so you'll need to fill your time. Turkey doesn't have the vast shopping malls like we have (although Antalya has a very pleasant one - if not on the small side - and pricey side too), and it doesn't have all the theatres, museums, cafes, leisure centres, ice rinks, bowling alleys (although there's a small one in Oludeniz) general places you can go for entertainment.
You'll also find that the food and drink becomes awfully boring after a while. They don't have the huge array of choice that we have; and you can forget popping down to your local M&S for a tasty ready-made meal. Things even like cheddar cheese, pork sausages, good bacon, become items of fantasy for many ex-pats. Stuff like HP Sauce and ColEman's Mustard are weirdly expensive!
Imported drink is terribly expensive too - but you possible know that by your holidays.
Travelling abroad when in Turkey is also far more difficult. They don't have the likes of Easy Jet going to Paris, Rome, Madrid for £39!
If you sell up and move to Turkey you need to be aware that buying back into the UK market will be near impossible. Although the UK is going through a slight slump at the moment it will always pick up and take off again (demand outweighs supply) but in Turkey, the opposite is true. And many people can't sell their place out there for love nor money. So you could end up well and truly stuck in a place you no longer want - and that you can't sell!
Having said all that, I can see the attraction of Turkey for many people; the sunshine, the beaches, the scenery, the slow pace of life - but I'm not sure they outweigh the downsides. Especially when it's so hot you have to stay inside!
If you are still convinced that Turkey is for you, go there and rent somewhere for the winter and see how you get on. Better still, rent somewhere for a year. That way you won't have burnt your bridges if you decide the UK isn't so bad after all.
Strawberry
What a good thought out post 
Could equally apply to most countries, especially the work/money situation.
Could equally apply to most countries, especially the work/money situation.
A very good & fair post Strawberry. I love Turkey but even if I won the lottery and money was no object I would not want to live full time there.
I would buy an apartment there and pop over when I felt like it.
I know Turkey has its attraction but life in the UK is not that bad and also has a lot of +'s and I for one would miss it. We have some of the best & varied scenery in the world but the downside is we don't have the weather so i can understand other peoples veiws.
Once again Strawberry... a brilliant informative post.
I would buy an apartment there and pop over when I felt like it.
I know Turkey has its attraction but life in the UK is not that bad and also has a lot of +'s and I for one would miss it. We have some of the best & varied scenery in the world but the downside is we don't have the weather so i can understand other peoples veiws.
Once again Strawberry... a brilliant informative post.
Hi Jacky,
Yes you're right - it could apply to most countries I guess.
But you must remember that Turkey isn't an EU country - so you don't have any of the benefits you would have if you went to Spain/France for example. Plus of course the journey time is that much longer - you can't just hop on a plane and come back at a moment's notice.
As you know, the new President Gul is a muslim extremist too; he's just effectively driven a horse and carriage straight through all the progress Turkey has made with regards women's rights etc.
There's also lots of jumpiness going on with regards its political future.
Turkey is a non-EU Muslim country, and their values/customs are quite different to ours.
Most people tend to buy in an area where many ex-pats are already settled, and often end up living in Little Britain, Turkey. And if that's what you want there's absolutely nothing wrong in that! But all the things previously mentioned still stand.
It's worth remembering too that Turkey is prone to earthquakes, so when buying a property you need to make sure it's been built to the required specifications to withstand an earthquake. If it isn't, (and many aren't) then your insurance company will not pay out! Everyone should take out eartquake insurance just in case - another expense. Some properties need firebreakers for example. Some properties are shoddily built; suffer from damp, subsidance, pest problems, flooding, or sometimes the winds blow sand and dust straight into your lounge! All of these things cost money to repair (or prevent) so that's another reason to take your time over choosing a property to buy. Try and have forseight too: if you buy a place because it has a glorious view make sure there's no empty land in front of it, because chances are someone will build an apartment block directly in front of your window!
It's also a fallacy that Turkey has no crime: it most certainly does. They have a drug problem, there are shootings, and burglary is on the increase. They'll often drug you with a gas while you're sleeping so as to clear your valuables out.
There's also lots of credit card/cash machine theft.
Having said that, I do feel much safer in Turkey than I do in the UK. You don't have the street gangs that we have in the major cities over here. The crime rate in the UK has indeed soared, and what with the inept government we have, the injustices, and the way British are now often treated as second-class citizens by their own government, I too sometimes feel like escaping! But it needs to be thought out properly, and whether we like it or not, the UK does offer many benefits that Turkey doesn't.
Another thing to remember when emigrating is how you will cope if you leave some of your family behind. Some people just can't hack not seeing their children/grandchildren on a regular basis. Homesickness is a miserable feeling, however sunny the weather is.
Contrary to everything I've said, if I could take my immediate family with me, and could build the house of my dreams exactly where I wanted, and plonk an M&S, Sainsbury's, and John Lewis round the corner..............plus have daily direct flights going to anywhere in the world, and could run a rewarding business.........I'd be sorely tempted too.
Strawberry
Yes you're right - it could apply to most countries I guess.
But you must remember that Turkey isn't an EU country - so you don't have any of the benefits you would have if you went to Spain/France for example. Plus of course the journey time is that much longer - you can't just hop on a plane and come back at a moment's notice.
As you know, the new President Gul is a muslim extremist too; he's just effectively driven a horse and carriage straight through all the progress Turkey has made with regards women's rights etc.
There's also lots of jumpiness going on with regards its political future.
Turkey is a non-EU Muslim country, and their values/customs are quite different to ours.
Most people tend to buy in an area where many ex-pats are already settled, and often end up living in Little Britain, Turkey. And if that's what you want there's absolutely nothing wrong in that! But all the things previously mentioned still stand.
It's worth remembering too that Turkey is prone to earthquakes, so when buying a property you need to make sure it's been built to the required specifications to withstand an earthquake. If it isn't, (and many aren't) then your insurance company will not pay out! Everyone should take out eartquake insurance just in case - another expense. Some properties need firebreakers for example. Some properties are shoddily built; suffer from damp, subsidance, pest problems, flooding, or sometimes the winds blow sand and dust straight into your lounge!
All of these things cost money to repair (or prevent) so that's another reason to take your time over choosing a property to buy. Try and have forseight too: if you buy a place because it has a glorious view make sure there's no empty land in front of it, because chances are someone will build an apartment block directly in front of your window!It's also a fallacy that Turkey has no crime: it most certainly does. They have a drug problem, there are shootings, and burglary is on the increase. They'll often drug you with a gas while you're sleeping so as to clear your valuables out.
There's also lots of credit card/cash machine theft.
Having said that, I do feel much safer in Turkey than I do in the UK. You don't have the street gangs that we have in the major cities over here. The crime rate in the UK has indeed soared, and what with the inept government we have, the injustices, and the way British are now often treated as second-class citizens by their own government, I too sometimes feel like escaping! But it needs to be thought out properly, and whether we like it or not, the UK does offer many benefits that Turkey doesn't.
Another thing to remember when emigrating is how you will cope if you leave some of your family behind. Some people just can't hack not seeing their children/grandchildren on a regular basis. Homesickness is a miserable feeling, however sunny the weather is.
Contrary to everything I've said, if I could take my immediate family with me, and could build the house of my dreams exactly where I wanted, and plonk an M&S, Sainsbury's, and John Lewis round the corner..............plus have daily direct flights going to anywhere in the world, and could run a rewarding business.........I'd be sorely tempted too.
Strawberry
Thanks for all the posts. Now i realise that i am not the only person who is getting disillusioned with the UK. I dont expect hot weather all year round but i would like seasons not just rain most of the year.
But the main thing is quality of life. We were in Budapest twice this year and it suddenly struck me that the bars do not pack all their chairs and tables away at night and they dont end up in the Danube. Trams were still running past at 2pm and the drivers were not afraidfor their lives. They left all the jewelry in the jewelers windows all night with no bars or shutters.
We were in madrid and youngsters were at bars drinking well past 1pm but there was no fighting, no drunks and yet again public transport was running and people were not afraid to use it late at night. People were sitting down to eat at the Hard Rock at 11.45pm try doing that in England.
Last Nov we were in Rome and to do a guided tour of the colosseum? was 22 euros for two of us. We just did the same thing for the tower of london and it was £40.00
Even in Flordia last Oct my youngest daughter left her purse with a large amount of money in it in the hotel lobby, and it was handed in intact with her money ( she was one very lucky little girl)
I do realise that Turkey present problems which was why i was also considering Cyprus.
But the main thing is quality of life. We were in Budapest twice this year and it suddenly struck me that the bars do not pack all their chairs and tables away at night and they dont end up in the Danube. Trams were still running past at 2pm and the drivers were not afraidfor their lives. They left all the jewelry in the jewelers windows all night with no bars or shutters.
We were in madrid and youngsters were at bars drinking well past 1pm but there was no fighting, no drunks and yet again public transport was running and people were not afraid to use it late at night. People were sitting down to eat at the Hard Rock at 11.45pm try doing that in England.
Last Nov we were in Rome and to do a guided tour of the colosseum? was 22 euros for two of us. We just did the same thing for the tower of london and it was £40.00
Even in Flordia last Oct my youngest daughter left her purse with a large amount of money in it in the hotel lobby, and it was handed in intact with her money ( she was one very lucky little girl)
I do realise that Turkey present problems which was why i was also considering Cyprus.
strawberry
thank you so much for your posts they make a lot of sense i will be thinking long and hard and i think the best thing to do is maybe buy a little apartment and visit a few times a year then ive got the best of both worlds for now at least
thank you so much for your posts they make a lot of sense i will be thinking long and hard and i think the best thing to do is maybe buy a little apartment and visit a few times a year then ive got the best of both worlds for now at least
I would like to know is it the Turks who are drugging and stealing or other nationalities ?
hello joanpw
ive never heard anything about people drugging and mugging people but i dont think it will be the turks they very friendly people then again you could get someone coming to england go to resteraunts and finding the english very nice and friendly then go outside and get assaulted so who knows but i cant belive it would be the turkish people
ive never heard anything about people drugging and mugging people but i dont think it will be the turks they very friendly people then again you could get someone coming to england go to resteraunts and finding the english very nice and friendly then go outside and get assaulted so who knows but i cant belive it would be the turkish people
Hi,
Yes, unfortunately, burglary is quite a big problem in Turkey. The burglars do tend to target foreigners as there is often richer pickings to be had.
And the burglars (if spotted) are always Turkish (or - Kurdish).
I've heard that burglaries peak at the end of the summer season when many resort workers are packing up to go back home.
You will also notice that many apartments (especially ground floor) have security grills fitted to their windows.
There's a few Ex-pat internet sites that discuss this problem in more depth. Turkish Living and Calis-Beach.co.uk are two very good sites for people wishing to relocate. They can give you lots of info on all things relating to living in Turkey.
Hope that helps.
Strawberry
Yes, unfortunately, burglary is quite a big problem in Turkey. The burglars do tend to target foreigners as there is often richer pickings to be had.
And the burglars (if spotted) are always Turkish (or - Kurdish).
I've heard that burglaries peak at the end of the summer season when many resort workers are packing up to go back home.
You will also notice that many apartments (especially ground floor) have security grills fitted to their windows.
There's a few Ex-pat internet sites that discuss this problem in more depth. Turkish Living and Calis-Beach.co.uk are two very good sites for people wishing to relocate. They can give you lots of info on all things relating to living in Turkey.
Hope that helps.
Strawberry
Strawberry, brilliant set of thought provoking posts, well done to you.
I lived out there 13/14 years ago and couldn't wait to get back to the UK! I lived with the Turks and not in any little England enclaves, so picking up the language wasn't an option, it was a necessity. Although some of the winter weather can be mild and warm, a lot of the country is damp for at least four months and without central heating it does tend to get into your bones and stay there until around April.
I will not go through everything Strawberry has covered but will add that if you think that Turks don't commit crimes then you are very naive and really shouldn't be considering moving to the country. The Turks have their fair share of thieves, murderers and charlatans just like any other country. A read of any of the local Turkish language newspapers will confirm this! The mafia is also extremely active in certain large tourist resorts and they can make life uncomfortable to down right unlivable if you are doing something they do not approve of or think they should have a share of. I kid you not.
My main bugbear was the treatment of women. There is no doubt that in the last 20 years or so there have been massive strides in the treatment of women and the equality thereof. The equality may be written into the constitution but that doesnt mean that men have to take any notice of it! I found the constant examples of domestic abuse and the lack of support and respect for victims to be thoroughly disheartening and ultimately meant I could not live in Turkey on a permanent basis. On reflection I felt that perhaps Turkey was where the UK was on this front in the 1960's and I couldn't take that.
I lived out there 13/14 years ago and couldn't wait to get back to the UK! I lived with the Turks and not in any little England enclaves, so picking up the language wasn't an option, it was a necessity. Although some of the winter weather can be mild and warm, a lot of the country is damp for at least four months and without central heating it does tend to get into your bones and stay there until around April.
I will not go through everything Strawberry has covered but will add that if you think that Turks don't commit crimes then you are very naive and really shouldn't be considering moving to the country. The Turks have their fair share of thieves, murderers and charlatans just like any other country. A read of any of the local Turkish language newspapers will confirm this! The mafia is also extremely active in certain large tourist resorts and they can make life uncomfortable to down right unlivable if you are doing something they do not approve of or think they should have a share of. I kid you not.
My main bugbear was the treatment of women. There is no doubt that in the last 20 years or so there have been massive strides in the treatment of women and the equality thereof. The equality may be written into the constitution but that doesnt mean that men have to take any notice of it! I found the constant examples of domestic abuse and the lack of support and respect for victims to be thoroughly disheartening and ultimately meant I could not live in Turkey on a permanent basis. On reflection I felt that perhaps Turkey was where the UK was on this front in the 1960's and I couldn't take that.
Cars are ridiculously expensive (incidentally, forget about taking your own car over - they will charge you so much Import Tax it won't be worth your while: that also applies to taking all your household stuff out there - they'll Tax you on much of that too!)
you can buy a Turkish car about 20.000 ukp new one all tax is included.
last week My friend bouth a Range rover to 370.000 ytl about 155.000 ukp.
How much is it in UK?
H saint_mehmet,
Had a quick look at AutoTrader - Range Rover prices vary (obviously) but from approx. £44,000 to £75,000.
Here is a link:
Click here
Cic
Had a quick look at AutoTrader - Range Rover prices vary (obviously) but from approx. £44,000 to £75,000.
Here is a link:
Click here
Cic
-
Edited by
MarkJ
2007-12-20 13:43:06
Shortened link
LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER 3.6 Tdv8 Vogue Se 4dr Auto £70,600
God.it is big difference to buy.
i also look JAGUAR S-TYPE 4.2 V8 R 4dr Auto.it is £39,793.
you can buy a second hand about 10 years old in Turkey for this price
God.it is big difference to buy.
i also look JAGUAR S-TYPE 4.2 V8 R 4dr Auto.it is £39,793.
you can buy a second hand about 10 years old in Turkey for this price
Thank you Mark for shortening link. I don't know how to do that. Can you tell me how or is that something only admin/mods can do? Or is it just a question of going into link and changing wording?
Cic
Cic
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