Turkey has recently become a popular destination for digital nomads due to it’s low cost of living, and the devaluation of the Turkish Lira against the Dollar. It should certainly be an option for nomads looking to live cheap and maximize the income they can re-invest in their business, all the while enjoying a nice climate and proximity to Europe.
In this post, we’ll break down costs for the following main categories:
Lodging | Food | Services | Transportation | Entertainment | Totals
As mentioned in my Lodging in Izmir guide, accommodation is cheap, plentiful, and of good quality in Izmir.
There are many good areas, and no real “bad” spots to avoid. Apartments and condos can be found both in more modern style, as well as traditional Turkish design.
During my time in Izmir, I paid about $650 per month on lodging through AirBNB. Of course, this can vary based on the movement of the very volatile Turkish Lira (link to Lira exch rate).
Izmir is a large city, with 3 million inhabitants and lots of public transit options, meaning you can easily get around, no matter which area you choose to live in.
As it is popular with European vacationers, Turkish locals as well as medical tourists (see our Dental Tourism in Turkey guide), Izmir offers a wide range of hotel options for all budgets.
Lodging costs (2022)
Low end: $500
Comfortable: $700
Baller: $1200
The biggest cost saver you’ll find in Turkey is definitely the food. I was shocked by how cheap it is to order quality food.
Again, since Izmir is a large city, you’ll find a lot of variety, with international options, as well as tons of delicious middle Eastern specialties.
A typical meal in Izmir will cost you less than $10, and can be found for as low as $5.
I remember once ordering a large portion of arrabiata rigatoni (which was delicious!) and being shocked when I saw the price – $4, including delivery fee!
Of course, you can also find fine dining options here which would get you closer to $25-$35 a meal in some of the fancier restaurants in town.
Food costs (2022)
Low end: $200
Comfortable: $325
Baller: $600
Cellphone coverage in Izmir is solid, with LTE available throughout the city and neighboring region.
During my stay, I used Turk Telecom and Vodafone and paid about $25 a month for 20GB of data.
Internet can be a struggle – some of the AirBNBs I worked from had consistency issues: dropping packets, variable speeds and short outages. However, this is not the case for all of Izmir, as I also found units with fast, fiber internet. The easy solution to this is to always check with the host where you will stay and ask for a speedtest. Additionally, since cellphone data is cheap, you can easily tether your phone to your laptop in case your regular connection drops.
Co-working spaces are available as well, my favorite being Regus in Bayrakli. It is located in the beautiful Folkart towers which are an unmissable landmark of Izmir’s skyline.
For health insurance, as with everywhere else, I use SafetyWing, which runs me about $45 per month.
Visa fees: Turkey offers a 90-day, $60 visa.
Monthly service costs (2022)
Services: $90
Izmir is a large and populous city, and as such, you will find tons of options.
One of the first thing you should do when arriving is getting an Izmirim Kart. These can be found in many small shops and stores (the official Izmirim Kart website has a list of places you can get one). It’s available to foreigners and you can easily top them up with cash or card.
This card allows you access to all forms of transit in Izmir: bus, tram, ferry, subway and most trains (besides regional trains). It even allows you access to the public bathrooms that are scattered around the city’s parks.
Taxis and Uber are also available and very cheap. You can cross the bay from Alsancak to Karsiyaka in about 20-30 minutes for about $15
Monthly transportation costs
Transport: $50
When people think of Turkey, they’ll often assume that it’s character as an Islamic country disqualifies it from being a party location. However, that could not be further from the truth.
Firstly, Turkey is quite secular compared to it’s Southern neighbors, meaning it is easy to find alcohol in most stores as well as bars and clubs.
Secondly, Izmir is Turkey’s most liberal city, and you’ll see more women in mini-skirts than wearing veils.
While I would not say Izmir is a top party city, it certainly has many bars and nightclubs.
Alsancak in particular, is host to dozens of such establishments.
Some of my favorites were:
Trip Bar – LGBT Friendly club with solid electronic music (LINK)
Dope/Maze Izmir – The best hip-hop club in Izmir (LINK)
KALT – The best techno club in the region (LINK)
Che – Laid back bar popular with expats and nomads (LINK)
Additionally, Izmir is a center of culture and archeological sites. There are many day trips available just outside the city to see ruins from the Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Persian and Ottoman empires.
Entertainment costs (2022)
Low end: $80
Comfortable: $250
Baller: $600
I will split the typical budget into 3 categories based on lifestyle and spending. I tend to add a little bit of extra just to be safe to these as well.
Low end – Traditional Turkish apartment outside of the popular neighborhoods. Grocery shopping and cooking for yourself. Little to no entertainment spending, doing mostly free activities and rarely drinking alcohol.
Mid end – Modern apartment or AirBNB unit near the more desirable areas. Eating at local restaurants daily and having drinks every weekend.
High end – Baller status. High end condo with a view in the best locations. Eating at the more luxurious restaurants and never cooking at home. Going out multiple times a week, to nightclubs and bars, and spending on tourist activities.
Low end
$1100
Mid end
$1700
High end
$3400
While Izmir may not be as cheap as Chiang Mai or some destinations in South America, it is definitely one of the more affordable options to be so close to Europe.
Recommendations and prices are based on when I was in Izmir, near the end of 2022. Things may have changed since. If any info is incorrect, leave a comment and I’ll amend the article!
Want to find out more about Izmir, Turkey? Check out our Izmir article collection!
