Turkey is a unique location where many civilizations have come and gone throughout history, and countless cultural, historical, and natural treasures are sitting on its lands. The best places to live in Turkey are abundant, as well.
Located in a significant transition route between Asia, Middle East, and Europe, Turkey is an idyllic country with mesmerizing villages, towns, and cities housing hundreds of destinations.
Recently, those who want to get away from the severe traffic jam, hustle and bustle, polluted air, and hubbub in big cities prefer moving to smaller towns. Today, the best places to live in Turkey don’t solely consist of big cities.
With many companies adapting to the remote-work culture, being present in certain places is not as necessary as before. Therefore, you can take your first steps toward the life of your dreams by choosing a destination among the best places to live in Turkey.
City Recommendations for Families
Covered with almond trees, Datça is where the Aegean and Mediterranean Regions cross. Datça, a district of Muğla, has managed to preserve itself from the tourists flocking in the Aegean and Mediterranean costs due to lack of transportation facilities. Because the district center is a site region, high-floor buildings are not allowed in Datça. Therefore, you can find clean air, mouth-watering dishes made from fruits and vegetables of local producers, and the good old Aegean tranquility here. Aydın’s Kuşadası, Çanakkale’s Asos and Bozcaada, and İzmir’s Alaçatı, too, are peaceful residential areas for families. We can also suggest Muğla, Alanya, and Antalya as the best places to live in Turkey.
İstanbul
Istanbul is among the best places to live in Turkey, especially for people who prefer big cities. The best way to understand what Istanbul means is to look out from the window when crossing the bridges.
Mosques, palaces, and kiosks, all with hundreds of years of history and sitting around the coasts of Bosphorus, show us we share the city with valuable treasures whose beauty we can’t damage no matter how many concrete buildings we build.
What makes Istanbul so majestic is that each neighborhood has unique characteristics. You can experience different atmospheres in each of them -you’ll walk past the historical buildings in Eminönü and blend in with the crowd in Beyoğlu. You’ll raise a laugh in a cafe in Nişantaşı, while you’ll raise a glass in Arnavutköy against Bosphorus. You’ll get on the ferry in Beşiktaş with a hotdog in your hands and eat the famous pastry in Sarıyer. In Kadıköy, it is hard to walk during a football match, while in Maslak, cars crowd up.
Antalya
Contrary to the popular belief, Antalya is one of the best places to live in Turkey all year round and not just during summers.
Antalya has 300 days of sunshine, which means you’ll feel the warmth in your bones nearly every day. Most tourists leave the city in October, while Antalya residents continue to swim in the warm sea. The average summer temperature in Antalya is between 28 and 36 degrees, and the winters are highly warm, as well.
Also known as the “Citrus Capital” due to massive production, Antalya is the second city with the highest number of visitors, right after Istanbul. According to official data, Antalya ranks second, too, regarding the number of houses sold to foreigners.
Numbeo compared the daily expenses in different countries and concluded that Antalya is 12% less expensive than Istanbul and 43% less expensive than London.
Turkey experiences different climates, and Antalya is in a region with a warm temperature. The Mediterranean climate seen in Antalya brings hot summers and warm and wet winters. Antalya has the highest rainfall between January and March, which means you can enjoy outdoor living for 9 months in Antalya. Visitors can find their dream apartment or villa by the sea with prices starting from 80,000 Euro.
Alanya
With its historical texture and natural beauties, Alanya is regarded as a major destination in Turkey. The number of foreign residents in the city is also remarkable, with 31.500 of the 312.000 dwellers being foreigners. It is a privilege to live in Alanya when given the natural areas, warm climate, historical roots, unrivaled coasts, and friendly people of the city.
Located on the Southern coasts where the Mediterranean climate is seen, Alanya is warm and sunny between early spring to late autumn. The average sea temperature in Alanya is 21.4 degrees. Due to the warm sea and the high number of sunny days, the tourism industry here is quite lively. But it remains as one of the best places to live in Turkey during wintertime, too.
People visiting Alanya land in Antalya and Gazipaşa airports, all products of cutting-edge technology and thriving transportation hubs.
Bodrum
There are many other places to live in Bodrum other than the city center, such as Bitez, Ortakent, Akyarlar, Turgutreis, Gümüşlük, Yalıkavak, Gündoğan, Torba, and Konacık, all wonderful neighborhoods in proximity.
If you have children and will opt for locations on the school route, you can evaluate central Bodrum, Konacık, Bitez, and Ortakent. If you couldn’t find your dream house in these places, you can consider other areas, as well. Remember, it will only take 45 minutes to get from one end of the peninsula to the other!
The social activities in Bodrum are thriving -you can find something to do in line with your lifestyle. Having a walk by the beach, attending workshops, visiting fairs, and doing outdoor sports are just a few of them to enjoy in Bodrum, one of the best places to live in Turkey.
İzmir
İzmir is among the most beautiful cities in Turkey, attracting people with its different aspects. It is regarded as the “Pearl of the Aegean” due to its rich history, unique culture, and distinctive nature.
İzmir is capable of offering you the advantages of living in a big city while eliminating the downsides of it, such as the crowd and hubbub.
The Aegean characteristics of the city are perhaps the best thing about İzmir -friendly people, olive-oil dishes, vast blue seas, warm sun, and ancient sites of İzmir make it one of the most valuable destinations in the world, rather than a simple holiday center.
You can find modern and historical buildings alike in İzmir and experience the comfortable, aesthetic, and deep-rooted way of living. On these grounds, the city attracts investors from across the globe.
İzmir has a robust economy and a quality educational system. However, unrivaled summer towns in the city are the main reason why it got so famous -Alaçatı and Çeşme mesmerize the visitors all-year-round. In short, İzmir is one of the best places to live in Turkey, as well as a wonderful route.
Bursa
Bursa houses one of the best places to live in Turkey: Tirilye. Tirilye, an adorable seaside town with a rich history, is 11 kilometers away from Bursa’s Mudanya district. With its olive gardens, wooden houses, and peaceful atmosphere, Tirilye is a perfect gateway close to İstanbul. You will pass by a pretty road with the sea on one side and green hills on the other on your way to Tirilye.
Tirilye used to be a Greek village, and now it is a lovely town with broad-minded residents and that appeared in many TV series and movies.
