Quest Turkey Property and Lifestyle Magazine

Are you a British pensioner wondering how to manage on a UK pension, or just seeking early retirement in the sun? Then you are amongst many would-be expats heading to Turkey for low cost living and cheap property. The Turkish Statistical Institute data shows that there is a steady increase in expats going to live in Turkey.  No wonder, as many Britons are aware that life in their home country may not be affordable and would prefer to move overseas rather than live in poverty. Low property prices, a warm and sunny climate, combined with a cost of living about a third of back home is attracting more and more Britons to move abroad, where Turkey is featuring prominently in their plans.

Buying a property and moving to Turkey to live is not something to be taken lightly. The differences in the way of life, culture, education and other things need to be thought about and considered before making the move.

However, the Turkey lifestyle is just what many are seeking. The weather is so good that you can live outside nearly all year, taking meals on your terrace even in winter, spending time on the beach. The outdoor lifestyle results in a healthier way of life and more interaction with friends and neighbours.

One of the most popular locations for overseas buyers and expats is Antalya, one of Turkey's primary tourist destinations with clean sandy beaches and plenty of history and culture. A key factor in its pull for expats is the infrastructure and modern comforts.

Life as an expat in Antalya

Health care is often of primary concern when moving abroad and you'll be happy with the standard of medical care on offer in Antalya. For day to day shopping, there are plenty of malls offering all you could need and large supermarkets where you'll find produce significantly cheaper than in the UK. If you prefer the smaller more traditional shops, you won't be disappointed. Everything here is in place for good day to day living. For expats, flights back home are easy to find and prices good as there is plenty of competition to get passengers.

Quest Turkey spoke to Susan Cummings, who moved to her home near Antalya on her own some four years ago. Susan, from Norfolk, was looking for early retirement but wanted to be able to get back to the UK from time to time to visit family.

"I spent ages pouring over the internet looking for the right country to take early retirement. All the usual suspects came up.. France, Spain but the property prices and cost of living put me off. I had four things on my list which were 'must haves'. The main one was the price of the property. Weather was important as I just couldn't face living anywhere as grey as England again. Then I really wanted to be near an airport so I could get back to see family when I wanted. The last thing was every day cost of living. I would have limited monthly income, so spending was an important issue. Turkey was the only one which really answered everything.

The property prices were about the cheapest, lots of sunny warm weather and the cost of living is  incredibly low. I bought a property about 40 minutes from the airport so flights are not a problem."

Recently Conti, the overseas mortgage specialists reported that there was a 65% increase in the first five months of this year for mortgage applications on Turkish properties, compared with the last five months of last year. Atlas International also report that Turkey is the dominant oversea property market in the last year. With property prices as low as 35,000 euros for a ready to move in apartment, it is little surprise that the country is attracting an ever increasing number of expats.

"I purchased a three bed, two bath duplex on a small development. We share a large garden and a swimming pool. There are plenty of restaurants and shops within walking distance. I spend nearly all my time outdoors and often ask the neighbours round for coffee or dinner. 

I've been here for nearly four years now and absolutely love it. I live off a company pension easily as the cost of living is so very cheap: I probably spend about 700 pounds a month to cover everything. As for the shopping, well, where to start. You can get pretty much any fake brand of anything you want. The other thing is, you really do have to haggle, it is definitely expected. It can be fun but can also get a bit wearing after a while.

I also made sure I learned the local language but I have to say that I still strugggle with it. It's important to make sure you learn the numbers so that you can read prices - and make sure you know how to ask the price of things.

I must confess that I miss my son and his wife but I visit a couple of times a year and they come over here two or three times. When we do visit each other, it is quality time so we probably have more real time together now than when I lived in England.

One thing I can categorically state is that I don't miss the UK at all. Living here has confirmed to me why I wanted to leave my home country. I have a much better quality of life here and I'm well out of the rat race."

Pros

Quality of life
Relaxed ambience
Great weather
Good transport
International airport
Cost of living
Friendly locals

Cons

Lack of punctuality
Driving is a free for all

Tips and hints

Learn the language. Be patient and open to the people as they love nothing more than a good chin-wag. Cut the ties with the past and don't keep comparing things with how they were back home.

Useful site
Foreign & Commonwealth Offfice