The cost of living in Turkey is significantly lower than in Britain, and other Mediterranean countries, such as Spain and Greece. Prices for food and other consumable goods are much cheaper, while fresh produce is often grown locally and costs a fraction of what it does in the UK. However there are marked differences in the cost of living across the country. Istanbul is the most expensive part of the country. But the cost of living is also higher in the coastal resorts. In these areas you can still dine out for £10-15 per head in a good restaurant, or eat for a fraction of that amount in a local Turkish eatery. A typical weekly shopping bill for two is £40-60,though it could be significantly more if you buy expensive imported goods.
Wage rates are very low in Turkey compared with Britain. A manual worker can expect to earn about £150 per month, while a school teacher takes home about £300 each month.
One of the things that is expensive in Turkey is petrol. For example, one liter of unleaded petrol is £1.05p, compared with 86p in the UK.

BANKS
The Turkish banking system has been reformed in recent years by privatization and tighter regulation. Still, at the customer level red tape and petty bureaucracy can be much worse than in the UK. You will have a choice of banks in most towns, with big names such as İş Bankası, Ak Bank and Yapı Kredi on most high streets.

Before choosing a bank, it is a good idea to ask for recommendations from other foreigners locally. It is also wise to find out how much the banks charge for services such as receiving Money transfers, as fees for these kinds of things differ widely.
Although international banks such as HSBS have branches in Turkey, there is no advantage to choosing them over a Turkish bank.
Banks in the main resorts will often have at least one English-speaking member of staff, although you may need the help of an interpreter or a bilingual friend for more complex affairs.
Turkish banks offer a range of current, savings and deposit accounts, with credit card debit card and overdraft facilities usually available. Destipe interest rates having dropped dramatically in recent years, the time-deposit accounts and investment funds offered by many banks can produce excellent returns. Most bank offer U.S dollar, euro and sterling accounts, with some banks such as Garanti Bank(www.garantibank.com) offering dual currency accounts where your balance is held in foreign currency, but you can make payments and withdrawals in YTL.

CASH MACHINES (ATMS)
Cash machines can be found all over Turkey with a wide choice of ATMs in most towns and resorts. Most ATMs can display in Turkish, English and other European languages. All operate with foreign credit cards and most with Maestro cards too. In addition to withdrawing Money Turkish ATMs allow you to make deposits, pay bills and transfer Money.

CREDITS CARDS
Credits cards are widely accepted in all but the smallest shops in Turkey. Many credit card companies make a small charge for each overseas transaction made. Once you have opened a bank account you may be offered a Turkish credit card.

BILL PAYMENTS
Regular payments for utility bills, maintenance charges or insurance premiums can be paid automatically from your Turkish bank account by completing a standing order form. It is a good idea to take your bill into the bank with you so that all the details are filled out correctly .Most banks now also offer telephone and internet banking services including bill payment facilities.

REAL ESTATE TAX
Collected by local authorities, this annual tax is based on the declared value of your property or land, which may be substantially less than what you actually paid fort he property. The rates are currently 0.2%-0.3% for land and 0.1% for residential buildings, with the payment collected in two installments in March-May and November each year.

INCOME TAX
You have to pay tax on any income that you make in Turkey, from employment ,investments or renting out your property Income tax rates are banded according to your income and vary from 15%-40%. Despite a pervasive culture of tax evasion, the Turkish authorities are slowly tightening up regulations in an attempt to raise more tax revenue. In the past very few foreign property owners paid tax on their rental incomes, but a recent outcry in the pres may well lead to a crack down on this practice. As a UK resident any income made on a property in Turkey would also be taxable by the British authorities. One advantage of buying a property with a Turkish company is the ability to offset any rental income against a large range of expenses related to the property.

CAPITAL GAINS TAX
As an individual you will be taxed on any increase in the capital value of a property only if you have owned it for less than five years. Companies paying corporation tax do not have to pay capital gains tax if they have owned the property for more than two years.

CORPORATION TAX
If you established a Turkish company to buy your property you will be liable to pay a corporation tax of 30% on any profits, including from rental income. In realty, you can offset the profit against any expenses you incurred, such as furniture, utility bills and maintenance charges. You will also have to pay capital gains tax if you sell the property within 2 years of buying it.

PENSIONS & BENEFITS
Moving abroad will not affect you state pension payments however you will need to organize for the Money to be transferred into your Turkish account. Bank charges on relatively small, regular transfers cabin become expensive, so think about pooling the Money and transferring larger amounts less often.
If you have not yet reached retirement age you may want to consider continuing to make National Insurance contributions after you move to Turkey. ; This will ensure you are entitled to receive a full UK state pension when you are eligible. Some other state benefits are payable to British citizens who move abroad.

SERVICES & UTILITIES
Tap water in turkey is chlorinated so it can be used for brushing your teeth, however, it is not recommended to drink. Instead you can buy bottled mineral water at shop and supermarket. These supply spring water by the liter in large plastic containers. In towns and cities they will generally deliver to your door if you give them a call.

ELECTRICITY
Most electricity in Turkey is supplied buy the state-run company TEDAŞ. The supply is 220 volts and two-pin plugs, similar to those in other European countries are used. With a suitable adapter, electrical appliances from the UK can be safely connected to the mains.

NATURAL GAS
Apart from İstanbul, Ankara and some other cities with mains gas, natural gas for cooking and heating water is supplied in metal canisters. These are ordered from a local gas supplier, who will deliver it to your door. A full canister costs around £10 and lasts for 6-8 weeks when used for cooking.

COMINICATIONS & MEDIA
With easy telephone, mobile and internet access, plus widely available cable TV, there is no reason not to stay in touch.
The Turkish telephone network is operated by the state monopoly, Turk Telecom. Getting a line is relatively easy and simply involves taking proof of address, your passport and bank details down to the local office. Bills are issued monthly and can be paid in person at your local office or some banks, or from your bank account by direct debit.
Public card phones can be found in most public places, with credit card phones in airports.

MOBILE PHONES
Mobile phones Networks are operated by several rival firms. As a foreigner you can have a Standard account or a pay as you go line. You can open a standard account at one of the Money mobile phone shops in every town, with proof of address in Turkey, your passport and bank details. Bills are paid monthly. Pay-as-you-go lines are even simpler to open. Requiring no identification or proof of address, and they are recommended if you are only in the country for short periods of time, or you use the phone very little. On the down side, however call rates are very high and it can be inconvenient trying to find a card (hazır kart) when your credits is finished. Cards are available at mobile phone outlets, corner shops an even some petrol stations.
Handsets are comparatively expensive as their price isn’t subsidized by the Networks like in the UK.A British handset can be used with a Turkish SIM card only after is has been “unlocked” at a mobile phone shop.
If you intend to use your British mobile phone in Turkey, remember to call your operator to enable international roaming,

THE POST & COURIERS
The Turkish postal service, known as the PTT has post offices across the country and delivers mail to your door. The service is quite slow and letters may takes overall days to reach their destinations in Turkey, or at least a week to get to the UK. If you have an urgent letter or parcel consider sending in by the APS Express service at a small extra charge. Courier companies such as DHL and UPS make international Express deliveries, or inside Turkey you can use Aras Kargo, Yurtiçi or one of the domestic delivery firms for next day deliveries.

NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES
Turkey has a lively pres with a wide selection of national, regional and local newspapers. But unless you read Turkish they will be of little interest to you. The country does however; also establish English-language daily, The Turkish Daily News, which includes both domestic and international news stories. British, European and some American newspapers are also available from some newsstands in the main cities, airports and tourist areas, though these will be at least a day old. Magazines suggest News Week and Time are also often available.

TELEVISION & CABLE TV
Turkey has a huge number of national and local TV stations broadcasting predominantly in Turkish, though several of the state-run TRT channels have a few English language programs.

Turk Telecom offer a cable TV service in many areas of the country. This is far better foreign viewers as it includes BBC prime, CNN, NBC and other European channels.