Moving to Türkiye: tax, residence and real costs (2026)
Türkiye: new residents: 0% on foreign income for 20 years · up to 40% on Turkish income. The cheapest route to residence is short-term residence permit (a lease + health insurance): about USD 500 in fees doing it yourself, with no investment, in about 2 months. Living costs about USD 1,350 a month for one person in Istanbul, USD 340 in Osmaniye, and around USD 320 on a bare-minimum budget.
Key facts
| Tax in one line | new residents: 0% on foreign income for 20 years · up to 40% on Turkish income |
| Foreign income | new residents from 2026 (not resident in the last 3 years): foreign income exempt for 20 years (Law 7582) |
| Gains · dividends | foreign exempt · foreign exempt |
| Wealth · inheritance tax | none · 1% for qualifying new residents |
| Cheapest residence | short-term residence permit (a lease + health insurance) |
| Money needed | About USD 500 in fees doing it yourself, with no investment |
| Time | about 2 months |
| Doable yourself? | Yes, with a checklist |
| Days you must spend there | 183 |
| Citizenship | by investment (USD 400k property) in 8-12 months |
| Online business | 0% effective, about USD 1,000 a year to run: 20-year exemption on foreign income for new residents (2026 law |
| Living (one person a month) | Istanbul ~USD 1,350; bare minimum ~USD 320; family of four ~USD 2,250 |
| Good for | manufacturing and textiles for Europe; 20-year foreign-income holiday |
| Common set-up | property residence + foreign holdings |
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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Programmes
| Programme | All-in, one person | Months | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship by property | USD 440k | 10 | Property must be held 3 years, then can be sold. Turkish citizens need visas for the EU and US; combine with Türkiye's 20-year foreign-income holiday. |
| Residence permit by property | USD 205k | 2 | USD 200k property in big cities (USD 75k elsewhere). |
Questions
- How much does residence in Türkiye cost?
- Short-term residence permit (a lease + health insurance): about USD 500 in fees doing it yourself, with no investment, about 2 months.
- Does Türkiye tax foreign income?
- New residents from 2026 (not resident in the last 3 years): foreign income exempt for 20 years (Law 7582). In one line: new residents: 0% on foreign income for 20 years · up to 40% on Turkish income.
- What does it cost to live in Türkiye?
- Living costs about USD 1,350 a month for one person in Istanbul, USD 340 in Osmaniye, and around USD 320 on a bare-minimum budget (based on livingcost.org, 2026).
- Can I run an online business from Türkiye?
- Effective tax about 0% with the cheapest legal set-up, which costs about USD 1,000 a year: 20-year exemption on foreign income for new residents (2026 law.
- What is the catch in Türkiye?
- New law (June 2026): details and practice still forming.
- What residence or citizenship programmes does Türkiye have?
- Citizenship by property: about USD 440k all-in for one person, ~10 months; Residence permit by property: about USD 205k all-in for one person, ~2 months
Compare
- Georgia: 0% on foreign income · 1% on turnover up to GEL 500k (small business) · 20% otherwise · 5% dividends
Compare all 53 places with your own income and budget →
Sources
- https://www.gib.gov.tr
- Living costs: based on livingcost.org (livingcost.org, June 2026), rounded