Living in Istanbul

I met my Turkish husband almost thirty-five years ago. Even though we’ve lived in the United States for most of our marriage, we always planned to retire overseas in Turkey. Now we’re here.

But that’s not all of it. Since I stepped off the plane at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul over thirty years ago, this country has been home to me. It’s strange, I know, for an American to consider another country home. Maybe it’s because I fell in love here, with my husband, of course, but also with the people and the life. On my first trip to the country, I was told to slow down and “live the life.” Not easy to do in the States. So very easy for me here.

But why Turkey? For the food, silly. Here is our typical breakfast, and except for the seasonal fruit, it looks like this year-round. Sometimes, we’ll add eggs and more bread (we live next to a bakery), but always tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese, and olives.

We get our food weekly from the Pazar (if your Turkish friends call it something different, that’s okay), a farmer’s market that extends from our neighborhood approximately a half mile (that’s a guess, but it’s a long way) into the adjacent neighborhood. This market has mostly food, but other vendors sell kitchen items, clothing, towels, sheets, and fabrics. They are open every week regardless of the season or weather. Take a look:

Other Reasons to Live In Turkey?

The Cost of Living

Another reason for living in Turkey is the overall cost of living. Groceries cost me less than $25 weekly, and as you’ve seen from above, everything is fresh. We live in a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment in a nice neighborhood. Our power bill this month, with air conditioning, was $22. Our gas bill was zero this month but will increase from $22 to $28 in the winter. Our cable is $12, and our drinking water is $5. Our HOA fee for the apartment is $22. I ride the Marmaray, a new, clean, air-conditioned subway that costs me between 16 and 35 cents per ride, depending on how far I go.

Remember, however, that I base my examples on my income, which is in U.S. dollars. For our friends and relatives living on Turkish income, their expenses relative to their income are much like ours in Miami, for example—exorbitant.

Clothing, furniture, appliances, and other large purchases can be just as expensive here as in the U.S. It depends on where you shop. The most challenging thing lately, as in the States, has been to keep up with inflation. I wrote a friend six months ago about the exchange rate of 18 Turkish Lira to one dollar. Today it is 25.6. The cost of things rises rapidly here, as they always have.

The Health Care

In Turkey, for the same level of health insurance coverage, we pay annually almost the same amount I pay monthly in the States. My all-day annual checkup here in Istanbul, with blood work, mammogram, gastro check, heart tests, etc., was shocking for me in January. Two issues were found that were not even thought about in the States. Because of this, I decided we needed physicians on both sides of the Atlantic, not just in Miami.

Except for a small co-pay, the insurance covered it all. In the States, all these tests and visits (with doctors, no less) would have required a month to schedule the various appointments, lots of co-pays, and the level of attention from the physicians would be minimal. Don’t get me wrong, my healthcare in Miami is excellent. It’s simply expensive and tediously time-consuming compared to the level in Turkey.

Community and Family

We have family and friends in both countries. After thirty years, Turkey's level of community involvement is more substantial than what I experienced in various cities in the U.S. (You’ll see in future posts how far and wide I traveled last summer.)

I feel comfortable here—and safe. Yes, it is a big city, and I pay attention to my surroundings like in any large city, but the vibe is different. I’ve been lost and helped no matter the city in Turkey. I’ve heard stories of taxi drivers ripping people off and pickpockets around the tourist areas, but I haven’t experienced anything of this type in thirty years. And I don’t have to worry about the guns….

My community barometer? Just me. I’m a klutz, and I trip regularly on city streets. I’m always looking up and around, never at where I’m going. In the U.S., I usually pick myself up the sidewalk and move on, embarrassed as people look at me like the klutz I am, and keep walking (not talking about you, NYC). In Turkey? Several people immediately rush to help, check to see if I’m injured, and offer to take me to the hospital. It’s just a different vibe.

The World is Only a Train Ride Away

We live between two airports that can take me on a quick trip to Europe or a long-haul worldwide. Or I can stay home and be equally fascinated by a ferry ride across the Bosphorus or a stroll through the Grand Bazaar. The city’s history and culture are a quick ride away. In future posts, I aim to show you as much as I can cram into my camera. Feel free to come along for the journey.

Like to read more about Turkey? Here are several authors that live here and links for foodies.

Inside Outside In Istanbul—Lisa Morrow is a published author, travel writer, and sociologist. She has written several books about Turkey and an article in the New York Times. Her focus is life in Turkey and an exploration of the historical aspects.

Janey in Mersin—Janey provides real-life descriptions of life in a small village in Turkey close to the Mediterranean city of Mersin. Her post just after the earthquake in the eastern part of Turkey was revealing.

Turkey Travel Planner—Tom Brosnahan has an extensive and updated travel site for Turkey. If you are a detailed planner, this site will be very helpful.

Culinary Backstreets in Istanbul—where to find more food

Özlem's Turkish Table — for Turkish recipes

Afiyet Olsun!