10 Tips for Living in Turkey

Turkey is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, distinguished by its rich history, diverse culture, and beautiful, picturesque nature. It is considered a destination for those who want to live a European-style life. Below, we will learn about the factors that are the advantages and disadvantages of living in Turkey and 10 Tips for Living in Turkey. Keep reading.

Turkey's distinguished geographical location

Before discussing 10 Tips for Living in Turkey, you know where Turkey is located? Turkey enjoys a prime location, straddling two continents, located in Western Asia and Southeast Europe. 

It is a bridge between ancient and modern civilizations. In addition to its massive economy and abundant job opportunities, it is an attractive destination for many international students.

Advantages of living in Turkey

Why Turkey? What are 10 Tips for Living in Turkey?  There are many advantages to living in Turkey, the most important of which are as follows

1. Facilitating residency procedures, especially for Arabs

Turkey has established a set of laws that facilitate residency procedures and enable Arabs to obtain Turkish citizenship, provided they have continuous employment in Turkey and reside there for five consecutive years. The vacation period in their home country does not exceed one or two months per visit, with a maximum of 55 visits over the five years.

2. Study in Turkey

• Turkey is considered a huge educational beacon that offers many distinguished study programs that keep pace with the latest developments and updates in academic programs. 
• Its colleges also offer a variety of specializations. 
• This diversity allows the student to benefit from studying in Turkey according to the specialization he desires.
• Turkey is an educational destination that attracts many students at various educational levels, whether primary, intermediate, university, or postgraduate studies.
• Tuition fees are relatively low compared to European universities.
• The student can benefit from the scholarships offered by the universities, which cover all or half of the tuition fees, depending on each university.
• The fact that Turkish universities have obtained many accreditations and recognitions makes the degree that the student obtains a strong degree that provides him with many job opportunities in any country he wishes to work in.

Discover More: The average cost of living in Turkey in 2025

3. Cost of Living in Turkey 

The cost of living in Turkey is low and is similar to the lifestyle in the Gulf countries. 

Turkey seeks to reduce the financial burden on the student by taking many measures, including

• Students are granted discounts on public transportation and the metro throughout Turkey. 
• Students can subscribe to health insurance, benefit from free checkups in Turkish hospitals, and obtain medications at reduced prices.
• The student can obtain university housing for free or for a nominal fee.
• As well as discounts on tickets to exhibitions, tourist attractions and other services.

Read more: Turkish universities recognized in the Gulf countries 2025

4. Religious Character in Turkey

Turkey is characterized by its religious character, where Islam is practiced effectively. Its people pray the five daily prayers, and the rich are kind to the poor, creating a cohesive spiritual society that makes life in Turkey a unique experience.Turkey is characterized by tolerance and respect among all religions present in Turkey, which creates a peaceful and safe environment to live in.

5. The beauty of nature in Turkey

Turkey is characterized by its picturesque nature, many beautiful natural landscapes, and tourist attractions that are visited by many visitors from all over the world.

It also has a wonderful climate and a moderate atmosphere that varies according to the nature of each country in it, and it is connected to 81 countries.

Each of these countries has its own special tourist attractions and places that attract many tourists from all over the world.

6. The availability of job opportunities in Turkey

Turkey is one of the countries with a large economy that provides many job opportunities provided that the Turkish language is proficient. Despite this condition, there are many jobs that do not require the Turkish language, such as teaching Arab communities and working via the Internet.

Turkey allows students to combine study and work to earn money and gain experience in the labor market.

7. The distinguished medical care in Turkey

Turkey includes a group of the best hospitals and medical centers that provide the highest level of health care in the world, especially in the field of cosmetic surgery, hair transplantation, and many other surgical operations.

Turkey provides many hospitals and health centers for Arab expatriates, providing them with free healthcare.

Foreigners can obtain free health care in government hospitals in cases of emergency, childbirth, and necessary operations.

Disadvantages of living in Turkey

Although there are a large number of attractive features for many people to live in Turkey, life in Turkey is not without drawbacks, and we will mention the most prominent of them as follows

1. Turkish language

Turks are proud of their Turkish language and refuse to deal with any other language, as it is not considered one of the international languages ​​like English and French. 

Therefore, the Turkish language is considered one of the negatives of living in Turkey for those who do not master it. Despite this, Turkey provides many institutes and schools for learning the Turkish language and mastering it to solve the language problem.

Read also: Learning Turkish from home

2. traffic congestion in Turkey

Most Turkish cities suffer from severe traffic congestion, making it difficult for many to travel by private car. 

Therefore, the Turkish government has provided a metro system that alleviates traffic congestion and makes it easier as a solution to this problem.

3. Cultural adaptation

Turkey has its own cultural character, which is considered a great challenge for those who come to live there. However, by interacting with its people, attending many events, and respecting the country’s customs and traditions, it is easy to adapt and integrate into it, especially since the Turkish people are friendly and love life.

4. Security and safety in Turkey

Turkey receives large numbers of expatriates every year, whose culture, customs, traditions and even language are different. Many incidents of theft and violence have occurred, and even the Turkish people have not been spared from such incidents, especially late at night. 

Therefore, it is recommended to live in residential areas that have security services.

It is worth noting that the Turkish government is seeking to eliminate such negatives by providing radical solutions for them, such as providing a metro to eliminate traffic congestion, institutes and schools for teaching the Turkish language to solve the problem of the Turkish language for those who do not master it, as well as working to provide security and safety in Turkey.

10 Tips for living in Turkey

After presenting the advantages and disadvantages of living in Turkey, some advice can be provided to benefit from these advantages and avoid the disadvantages

1. You must learn the Turkish language before traveling to Turkey, whether you are going to work, study, or settle there.
2. You must stay in a temporary residence or hotel upon your arrival in Turkey so that you can study and understand the nature of the place where you will live and choose the most suitable one for you.
3. You should review the laws and regulations of the new country you will be living in and comply with them to avoid getting into trouble.
4. You should search for the best Turkish banks and bank accounts so that you can open an account and make international transfers with ease, especially if you intend to reside and settle in Turkey.
5. You must obtain health insurance for you and your children so that you can benefit from free medical examinations at hospitals and health centers in Turkey.
6. You should visit the nearby clinics and get the necessary vaccinations to prevent diseases prevalent in the area where you live.
7. You must respect the customs and traditions of the new country you will live in.
8. Make a financial plan for your monthly expenses so you can achieve financial stability.
9. You should look for expat communities who share the same language and culture with you so that you do not feel alienated and can integrate into the new country.
10. Search for a job online first to get the job that suits you.

Read also: The educational system in turkey

Types of residence in Turkey

These 10 Tips for Living in Turkey help you to enjoy your stay in Turkey but what types of residence are available in Turkey? Turkey offers many types of residence. We will learn about each of them in some detail

1. Tourist residence in Turkey

This residence permit is granted to foreigners who wish to visit Turkey for tourism purposes. It is valid for one year only and can be extended for another year. It is worth noting that it is not possible to obtain a job opportunity during this period, so you must submit documents proving your financial ability and that you do not need to work.

2. Work residence in Turkey

It is a residence permit granted to foreigners who want to work in Turkey. It is valid for one year and can be renewed for another two years.

3. Student residence in Turkey

Student residence is granted to foreigners who want to study in Turkey. It is valid for one year and can be renewed according to the period of study in Turkey. Students are allowed to travel or leave Turkey multiple times without restrictions, giving the student the opportunity to explore more countries during their study period. The student is also allowed to work part-time so that he can earn money and learn about the standards of the labor market.

4. Humanitarian residence in Turkey 

This type of residence was created by the Turkish government for Syrians who previously obtained a student, family, or work residence permit and are finding it difficult to renew their passports due to the circumstances they are going through.

5. Family residence in Turkey

Cases of obtaining family residency

1. If the father or mother obtains a work permit, the partner and the children are granted a family residence permit. 
2. If a foreigner marries a Turkish woman, the foreigner and their children are granted a family residence permit. 
3. If a foreign woman marries a Turkish man, she and her children are granted a family residence permit.

It is worth noting here that family residence permit holders have the right to obtain Turkish citizenship after three years from the date of obtaining family residence permit.

It is also worth noting here that although there are several types of residency permits available in Turkey, obtaining them takes 90 days from the date of application, in addition to the fact that some residencies are difficult to renew.

Read more: The best student services companies in turkey

Documents required to obtain residency in Turkey

If you make your decision about traveling to Turkey and know 10 Tips for Living in Turkey, you now need to know the documents required to obtain residency in Turkey. Many people wonder what documents are required to obtain residency in Turkey, especially those who want to obtain permanent residency to live and settle in Turkey, which are

• Residence permit application form. 
• Valid passport and a notarized and translated photocopy. 
• 4 biometric photos. Document proving you have sufficient and regular income. 
• Valid and comprehensive health insurance. 
• Receipt of payment for the residence application fee and card fee. 
• A notarized copy of the title deed of the property you own as proof of your address in Turkey. 
• Copies of previous residence permits. 
• Original document from the Social Assistance and Solidarity Institutions in Turkey proving that you have not received any social assistance in the past three years.
• Criminal record (available via e-devlet). 
• A signed document stating that you are registered in the Turkish Address Registration System.

Is it easy to obtain Turkish citizenship?

Yes, it is easy to obtain Turkish citizenship after three years of obtaining family residency.

How can New Horizons help you to live in Turkey?

1. The New Horizons team helps you prepare the required documents for travel to Turkey and translate them into Turkish or English if this is one of the application requirements.
2. Helping students obtain scholarships offered by universities
3. Helping students apply for university housing or other external housing with a simple, safe and comfortable fee.
4. Helping the student obtain preliminary acceptance into the university he wants to study at.
5. Helping the student learn the language required by the university for study.
6. View the student in choosing the university whose tuition fees are compatible with the student.
7. Helping the student choose the appropriate major according to his abilities and capabilities.
8. Provide you with 10 Tips for Living in Turkey and how to feel at home quickly.

Contact us now for more information about studying in Turkey.

Conclusion 

After learning about 10 Tips for Living in Turkey and the advantages and disadvantages of living in Turkey, we can say that Turkey is a destination for all purposes, whether for education, work, tourism, or settling there.