Moving to Turkey the complete guide
A country that straddles Europe and Asia, with Istanbul as its restless heart, a long Mediterranean and Aegean coastline, and a cost of living that draws remote workers, retirees and families alike. Here is the honest brief on shipping, residence and life on the ground.
Costs are indicative 2026 ranges. Verify customs, visa and tax rules before you move.
Two continents, a long coast and a low cost base
Turkey offers a rare combination: a major global city in Istanbul, deep history in Cappadocia and along the Aegean, mountains and ski resorts, and warm coastal towns from Bodrum to Antalya, all at a cost of living well below western Europe. The lira has weakened sharply over recent years, which cuts both ways. It makes day to day spending cheap for people earning in dollars, euros or pounds, but it also means salaries and savings held in lira lose value quickly, so most international movers keep income and savings in a stable foreign currency.
Istanbul is the economic and cultural centre, Ankara the administrative capital, Izmir a relaxed Aegean alternative, and the southern coast a magnet for retirees and remote workers. English is common in tourism, international business and among younger people in big cities, but Turkish is the working language everywhere and learning the basics changes your experience completely.
International household shipments arrive by sea at Istanbul's Ambarli port complex, at Mersin on the Mediterranean, or at Izmir's Aliaga and Alsancak terminals on the Aegean, then move inland by road. For movers coming from Europe, a road move is often faster and cheaper than a container. Air freight runs into Istanbul for smaller, time sensitive loads.
Remote workers and digital nomads
A low cost base, fast city life and a long coast make Turkey popular with people earning abroad. You still need a residence permit to stay beyond ninety days.
Retirees and coastal movers
The Aegean and Mediterranean coasts draw retirees with mild winters, sea views and affordable living, often on a short term residence permit tied to a long stay.
Families and returning Turks
Strong family networks, large international schools in the big cities and a familiar route home make Turkey a steady base for many families and the diaspora.
Residence routes, in plain language
Turkey runs a single residence permit system, the ikamet, with several categories. Anyone staying beyond the visa or visa free 90 days in 180 needs one, applied for online through the e ikamet system run by the Presidency of Migration Management.
The workhorse permit for retirees, remote workers, property owners and long stay visitors. It is granted for up to two years at a time and renewed, subject to income, accommodation and health insurance conditions that have tightened recently.
The calisma izni, sponsored by a Turkish employer and issued under Law No. 6735 by the Ministry of Labour. A valid work permit also serves as your residence permit, so you do not need a separate ikamet alongside it.
For spouses and children of Turkish citizens or of foreigners who already hold a valid permit. It allows residence and, after a period, access to work and schooling.
Significant property or capital investment can lead to Turkish citizenship, while the Turquoise Card offers indefinite work and residence rights to qualifying skilled people. Thresholds and rules change often.
Used household goods and Turkish customs
Foreigners moving their normal residence to Turkey can import used household goods free of import duty under the transfer of residence relief, provided the conditions are met. In practice that means you hold a Turkish residence permit, the goods were owned and used before the move rather than bought new for import, and the shipment arrives within the window customs allows around the date you take up residence. You provide a detailed valued inventory in Turkish, your passport, your ikamet, and proof of the new address.
Your mover or a customs broker lodges the declaration with Turkish customs at the arrival port, whether that is Ambarli in Istanbul, Mersin or Izmir. Clearance for household goods is usually straightforward when the paperwork is complete and consistent, but inventories that look commercial, or that list large quantities of new items, invite questions and possible duty. Alcohol and tobacco beyond personal allowances attract duty, and weapons, certain medicines and protected items are restricted or prohibited.
Vehicles are the major exception. Permanent import of a foreign car is tightly controlled and expensive, and the standard household relief does not cover it in the same way. Most movers sell their car before leaving and buy locally once settled, which avoids a long and costly registration process.
What life costs and how to get set up
Turkey is inexpensive by western standards, especially for people earning abroad, though Istanbul is markedly pricier than the coast or the interior. Rent, dining, transport and groceries are affordable, but rents in the popular districts of Istanbul and the coastal resort towns have risen fast, and landlords increasingly ask for payment or contracts referenced to foreign currency. Budget realistically for the city you actually want, not the national average.
Getting set up starts with your foreigner identity number, the Yabanci Kimlik Numarasi, which is issued with your residence permit and printed on the card. That eleven digit number, usually beginning with 99, is the key to everything that follows: a tax number from the local tax office, a Turkish bank account, a SIM card registered to you, and access to services on the e Devlet government portal. Without it, daily life stalls.
Healthcare runs through the public system, with the state insurance scheme known as SGK. Employees and their families are usually covered through work, while many residence permit holders are required to hold private health insurance as a condition of the permit. Private hospitals in the big cities are modern and popular with international residents, and many treatments cost a fraction of western prices.
Your first month checklist
- Complete your e ikamet residence permit steps and collect your permit card
- Confirm your foreigner identity number, the Yabanci Kimlik Numarasi, on the card
- Get a tax number from the local tax office, the vergi dairesi
- Open a Turkish bank account once you have your ID number and address
- Register your SIM card and sort home utilities and internet
- Arrange health insurance that satisfies your permit conditions
- Register children at a local or international school
How to choose a mover for Turkey
No mover is named or ranked anywhere on this site. Here is how to judge any company quoting a move to Turkey, then request quotes from vetted firms that genuinely run your origin to Turkey.
Check FIDI or IAM affiliation
Membership of FIDI through the FAIM quality standard, or of IAM, signals audited financial and operational standards. It is the single fastest filter for an international move.
Insist on a binding pre move survey
A mover who quotes your volume from a video or home survey, in writing, is quoting the real job. A price given without seeing your goods is a guess that tends to climb later.
Confirm genuine experience on this lane
Ask how many moves they run on your exact corridor each year, which Turkish port and customs broker they use, and who handles the transfer of residence clearance at the other end.
Read the insurance terms, not the headline
Compare marine all risk cover, the valuation basis, the excess, and what counts as an exclusion. The cheapest cover is rarely the one that pays out cleanly.
Weigh reviews and complaint history
Look for recent, specific reviews that mention customs delays, damage handling and final invoices. Pattern matters more than a single rating.
Then request quotes through one form
We never name, rank or recommend a single company. Send one brief and vetted movers who run this route reply to you. You choose.
Get moving quotes for your route to Turkey
One short brief goes to vetted international movers who run your origin to Turkey, including the transfer of residence customs leg. Compare on scope and service, not just price.
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Moving to Turkey, answered
How much does it cost to move to Turkey?
As an indicative 2026 range, a two bedroom household by shared container costs roughly $2,200 to $9,500 depending on origin, volume, season and the inland leg from the arrival port. A road move from neighbouring Europe sits at the low end, while a container from North America, the Gulf or Asia sits higher. These are planning ranges, not quotes.
How long does shipping to Turkey take?
Door to door transit runs from about 7 days for a road move from central Europe to 40 days or more for a shared container from the Americas or East Asia, including the sailing to Istanbul Ambarli, Mersin or Izmir, the inland leg, and customs clearance. Air freight into Istanbul is far quicker for small loads.
Do I pay duty on my furniture moving to Turkey?
Foreigners transferring their residence to Turkey can normally import used household goods free of duty under the transfer of residence relief, provided you hold a residence permit, the goods were owned and used before the move, and they arrive within the permitted window. You provide a valued inventory and your ikamet. Verify the current rules before shipping.
Do I need a residence permit to move to Turkey?
Yes. Anyone staying beyond the visa or visa free period of 90 days in 180 needs a residence permit, the ikamet, applied for online through the e ikamet system. A separate work permit, the calisma izni, is needed to work, and a valid work permit also serves as your residence permit.
What is the first thing to do when I arrive in Turkey?
Secure your address and complete your e ikamet residence permit steps, then obtain your foreigner identity number, the Yabanci Kimlik Numarasi, which appears on your permit card. That number is the key to a tax number, a bank account, a SIM card and almost everything else.
Can I bring my car to Turkey?
Bringing a foreign vehicle long term is tightly controlled and the standard household relief does not cover cars in the same way. Most movers sell before leaving and buy locally, because permanent import and Turkish registration are costly and complex. Confirm your situation before assuming you can import a car.
Plan your move to Turkey by origin
Corridor guides into Turkey, each with costs, customs and a timeline for that exact pair, are publishing progressively. Start from your origin country hub below, or browse the full corridor index.