What's it like living in Turkey as an Expat? Digital Nomad Lifestyle.

For the past ten years, I've been working online, building a career that allows me to work from anywhere in the world and pursue my passions. I typically move to a new place once a year. In this video, I'm excited to share with you my digital nomad lifestyle in Turkey and give you a glimpse into what it's like to live and work in this beautiful country. To illustrate my digital nomad lifestyle in Turkey, I'll be using the small city of Fethiye as an example, showcasing its unique culture, stunning scenery, and how I work remotely while living here. Fethiye is a charming small city situated on the stunning Mediterranean coast of Turkey, boasting turquoise waters, pristine beaches, and breathtaking mountain views. I've had the pleasure of calling Fethiye home for the past two and a half years, immersing myself in the local culture, meeting incredible people, and falling in love with the breathtaking scenery that surrounds me every day. Having traveled extensively throughout Turkey, I can confidently attest that the digital nomad lifestyle is similar across most cities in this beautiful country. Whether you're in bustling Istanbul, quaint Fethiye, or anywhere in between, you'll find a welcoming community, great food, and breathtaking sights to explore.
I'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment below, and I'll be more than happy to share my personal list of favorite cities to live in Turkey. Who knows, maybe you'll find your next dream destination and join me on this exciting digital nomad journey!
Are you curious about what it's really like to live in Turkey as a digital nomad? Well, you're in luck! In this video, I'll be sharing both the positive and negative aspects of my experience living here. So, get ready to dive deep into this exciting and honest journey with me. Stay tuned!
Song: Thomas Gresen - Never Awake
Music provided by Vlog No Copyright Music.
Video Link: bit.ly/3KGE3T9
#expatlife #digitalnomad #travelvlog

[@Somali1971]

I have traveled to Turkey seven times, with my most recent visit being in February of this year. I simply can't get enough of this captivating country - the stunning landscapes, delicious cuisine, and the warm hospitality of the Turkish people never fail to leave me in awe.

[@goodheavens1]

I live in Fethiye, it’s honestly amazing I love it here

[@Brundle-fly]

HOLY SHYT!! SOO BEAUTIFUL

[@dashx2]

such a minimally furnished apartment absolutely amazing

[@evrenerakcora3432]

My favorite places : Marmaris, Fethiye, Kaş , Altınoluk . A local.

[@ezilmez1]

Absolutely wonderful country Türkiye, love it.

[@MNDanno]

This makes Colombia make no sense at all. I can't believe it took me this long to down play the time diff and flight cost diff. Turkey has something like 29 coastal cities with amazing climate and cost of living about 15-20% of what cities like Minneapolis are at. With magnitudes less crime. Great video sir.

[@tampapropertygirl3422]

I was considering a move to Panama for same reasons - close to USA, time difference, etc., but I am falling in love with Turkey. I'm trying to narrow down the location. I think that Istanbul and Izmir would be great places to visit, but not live. I'm trying to decide it Fethiye is too small.

[@TolgaKarlilar]

Minneapolis is about 120% more expensive overall than Istanbul and Antalya, so more like 2-2.5 times, and maybe 2.5+ times more than Fethiye according to current figures on Numbeo.

[@SherryDoan]

Fantastic video. Love the different take on travel video without all the talking.

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Thanks so much!

[@xyntrk]

I live in Trabzon and am very happy. I moved here when I retired. I really love Istanbul but not to live, it's too much, too many people, too much traffic. I also love Izmir, but honestly I choose not to live in a red earthquake zone - which is basically the entire country. Konya and Trabzon are in the safest zones, but Konya is really not a place for expats unless you're very conservative and religious. It's nice to visit - Rumi is buried there, but wasn't for me, it's too hot and not the most attractive countryside in the country. Trabzon, I really like, it's on the Black Sea coast. Most of the immigrants here are from UAE, Dubai, Saudi, etc...I have a theory that the people who immigrate to my area - which has 4 seasons and tends to be cooler, come from hot countries. The hot southern cities attract people from colder climes like Britain, Scandanavia, etc... It's not just the earthquakes I don't like about the southern coast, it's the godawful heat, as in practicing-for-going-to-hell heat. But some people love that. There is the perfect city for everyone here, and it's such a beautiful country - beaches, mountains, archaeological wonders, natural wonders like the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. The country is safe - I'm an older woman living alone, the people are friendly (though they morph into inpatient grouches on the road just like in the US - but nobody's climbing out their car with a gun here), the food is awesome, and the cost of living is great - as long as you're not dependent upon a Turkish job to live on, then you may have problems depending on the salary. But my monthly bills (water, gas, electric, internet, phone, and building maintenance fee is under $50 USD combined in TOTAL per month, and I own my apt, so that's my monthly outlay other than food, etc... (but remember, I don't have kids leaving every light on in the apt and taking 1/2 hour hot showers anymore). But there are hidden places where you will pay a LOT - cell phone, if you like Apple products, be prepared to pay almost to double what you'd pay outside Turkey - but don't think you'll buy it in the US and bring it in, because once you activate it, the IMEI number of the phone goes into the system and it if you don't pay the $1500 - yes USD, NOT lira - fee to register said phone, it will cease working within Turkish borders in 120 days. And you can't leave and come back thinking it will reset - it won't. You pay the fee or carry around an expensive dead phone. If you're not married to the idea of an iPhone and paying double for it here, then you'll be fine buying one of many, many android models here, including Samsung that are way cheaper. Buying a car will set you back, too. Buy new and you'll pay double the USD, Euro, GBP price for it here, buy used and it won't be much cheaper, bring your own car - you'll pay huge tarif and import fees/taxes that will boggle your mind and make you wish you'd just bought one here. So, you might consider choosing someplace with a good public transportation system or live where everything is in walking distance. You can also use the ubiquitous dolmus' - which are shuttle buses/vans that go constantly around picking up and dropping people off - but they get really crowded and will take you a long time to get anywhere - but it's available if you don't have access to a car. You could also take a taxi if you go to places you can't walk infrequently. English is not really spoken much here outside of tourist areas, so beware of that, though in the southern cities there are more English speakers simply because there are so many English speaking expats there. But that's another thing - there are rules here about getting residency permits based on percentage of non-Turks in any give area and if the area is already saturated to that percentage, you will not be able to get a residency permit. Another reason I like my area, it's not really on anyone's 'first look' list, and I don't want to be competing for a residency permit every 2 years - owning property makes it more likely to get renewed, but nothing is guaranteed. I have zero regrets, I love it here.

[@OrelMorsky]

Thank you for your post. Very informative.

[@drgalenos2049]

Isn’t the water very polluted there?

[@xyntrk]

@@drgalenos2049 Drinking or swimming? It's fine as far as my experience. I don't like plastic waste, so I don't use bottled water, I drink from a regular Brita pitcher filled from the tap. Same kind of Brita pitcher I used back in NY, just change out the filter once a month like normal. I don't notice any difference from NY. Before I found a Brita here, I drank from the tap. Smells and tastes the same and I never get sick. As for the Black Sea, from this side it isn't as polluted as the side from Russia and the Ukraine. The Black Sea does contain one of earth's dead zones - but the one in the Gulf of New Mexico along the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Florida, etc... in the US is bigger - the Gulf of Mexico is 2nd largest on earth, I believe, The biggest is in the Arabian sea. There are several.

[@empresslessstress]

Thanks for positive video, many other people share videos about inflation, difficulties to get permit to stay, and bad government and rules etc., which made me a bit scared, because we gonna move to Alanya in 2 weeks.

[@Korean_dude]

What a great video bro scenery, atmosphere, info everything!

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Much appreciated!

[@berknoyan7594]

interesting to see commentary vid without speaking, and it’s very informative depending on its length. good job also welcome to Turkey, man!

[@ashman870]

Thank you for sharing this glimpse in to your life. I visited Türkiye as a tourist for the first time last month and it left such an impression on me that I am already booked to go back in March. I have started learning Turkish and plan to work there as a digital nomad in future when I am able. Do you find it easy to make friends in Türkiye and if so would you say they are mostly Turks or foreigners?

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

My pleasure 😊 It is easy for me to contact both local people and foreigners.

[@StenellaFr]

excellent video

[@imamzia2647]

nice , thank you

[@EnoughTimeTravel]

Such an elegant & beautiful video. Thank you 🙏🏻

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@AltayDagli-y1z]

As a Turkish speaker from Central Asia, I follow the situation in Turkey and visited country several times. Indeed Turkey is very beautiful, especially coastal cities on the Mediterranean coast and despite rampant inflation, still quite affordable for foreigners who bring hard currency. However, anti-foreigner sentiment is quite high right now as gauged from street reports interviewing random people on the street for their opinion. Turkey hosts a large immigrant population (14 million) mainly from war-torn Syria and Afghanistan, Russia-Ukraine and almost every country from the middle east, Central Asia, and even Africa. Many young People who left their countries to move to Europe are stuck in Turkey, not being able to cross into Europe. Now many of Turkish people blame the economic problems like high rent and inflation and increasing crime on the immigrants. I have not heard of any blatant discrimination or violence towards foreigners, but I heard many Turks refuse to rent their apartments to foreigners, especially if you come from a poor third world country. Finding local work for foreigners is next impossible due high unemployment, I heard. But, being a digital nomad should be fine.

[@erolbirbeyaktar]

yess..but if you are not arab afgan or paki..there is no problem..they are problem...

[@ajdrums8075]

Bodrum is my favourite place personally with Bitez, Gumusluk and Kumbahce. I just moved to Chania Crete and still overall prefer Bodrum unexpectedly.

[@radad-s1r]

You are killing me!!!!! I want to be with you, guys!!!

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

we too 🤗

[@tubaatharhasnain1893]

Brilliant video. I would really appreciate if you could explain on what visa you stayed in turkey as a remote worker?

[@daz7987]

I would would love to be in your line of work looks like a wondeful kind of living Been to Marmaris a few times and its fantastic would love to move over there

[@eddiejaoude]

Never tried living in Turkey, but done Bali and Thailand - I think I might try Turkey next. What places do you recommend?

[@beaso6163]

Nice video. Since a very long time I want to see such a video like this. This city is one of future destinations. I would like to know more about it in terms of work for foreigners and how to work as a digital nomad. I'm planning to visit Turkey on November and I appreciate your reply man 😊

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Hey there! I'm thrilled that you enjoyed the video about Fethiye - it truly is a captivating city. It's awesome to hear that you're considering it as a future destination! Fethiye offers a wonderful blend of natural beauty and modern amenities. In terms of work for foreigners and being a digital nomad in Fethiye, there are definitely opportunities. Many expats and digital nomads have found Fethiye to be a welcoming place to live and work remotely. The key is to ensure you have a reliable internet connection, as that's essential for remote work. You might find co-working spaces or even cafes with good Wi-Fi to work from. As for working legally, be sure to look into the visa requirements for remote work in Turkey, especially if you're planning to stay for an extended period. Since you're planning to visit in November, that sounds like a fantastic time! The weather is usually pleasant, and you'll have a chance to explore the city and its surroundings. Keep an eye out for any local events, networking opportunities, or expat meetups - these can be great ways to connect with the community and get insights from those who've already been living the digital nomad life in Fethiye.

[@jorllx]

forget about finding a job in turkey or similarly cheap countries, because average salaries are 600 usd /month, and you don't want to work all day long in some bad job to earn that sh it, but if you earn usd 600 working online, you can live there because a nice small apartment like the apartment he shows on the video in a small coastal town costs around USD 250, and all utility bills + food in a good supermarket like the french supermarket chain Carrefour doesn't cost more than USD 350. The same in Thailand or if you prefer countriess in Eastern Europe faomus for being full of beautiful women, but without beautiful beaches, like Poland, Belarus, the Baltics and even the south of Russia, which has beautiful beaches too and it is famous for the most beautiful women in the world. But in all these countries, FORGET about the option of finding a job there, that makes no sense. You only need to have USD 600 to spend a month in such countries and you don't even need to speak the language, because you don't need to work there. Of course if you decide to stay there for a long period, it is advisable and not very difficult to study one course of their language, which will be enough for basic communication.

[@coffeepirro]

Good job, I'll put it on my list for the next trip and who knows, maybe this year.

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Thanks!

[@MooseBluewin]

thanks for the great vid

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@lindenbutters9396]

That was excellent!

[@youtubeonly1557]

Hey thanks for the vid! Question, Does Fethiye have a lot of cats and chain smoking like Istanbul? I’m looking at Alayna s well if you know anything about this place to I welcome it. Specifically cats and smoking

[@trangpham8661]

Oh hello from Danang Vietnam. I love your video vibe n keep doing it bra

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Hey, thanks!

[@tampapropertygirl3422]

Question, have you heard anything about the central bank revaluing the dong and giving it more purchasing power?

[@BOSS-ry1vp]

Woow ... ❤❤❤ real life ... natural and btfl ❤

[@tampapropertygirl3422]

PLEASE list your favorite cities in Turkiye, and why. I'm trying to decide where to start my life in Turkiye. I'm looking for a town with enough activities, shopping, etc, to keep me busy for day-to-day life. English speaking expats for friends. For example, Istanbul seems too busy and chaotic. Izmir might be too westernized. What are your thoughts? Thanks!

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Fethiye is very nice for all these things

[@twhontehwon200]

Had the happiest 9 months of my life in Adana last year. Sent back to US because I didn't spend enough money(requirement hadn't ben made known beforehand, I had everything else on the list). I visited last week, the American base is opened, so it's gonna get more commercialized now and my long-distance GF dumped me when the base opened and quit her exporting career to suck US dollars out of more American dicks working at the club that opened in front of the base. Adana is safe at night, has expat communities and awesome food. Slept on city, I wish things hadn't changed. I loved running by the water and wandering the city.

[@erolbirbeyaktar]

eskişehir

[@tampapropertygirl3422]

@@erolbirbeyaktar why do you like Eskisehir? That's a new city for me. Where is it located?

[@gocebe0134]

@@tampapropertygirl3422 No not Eskisehir. Eskisehir is good for students. It s very small city but it is closer to the bigger cities such as Istanbul and Ankara. The transportation system is very developed there so you can easily travel between cities. But I would recommend Mugla, Antalya Ankara, Istanbul, izmir , Antalya is very very hot in summer I can’t live very hot place, but you might like it. Istanbul or Mugla are my favorite cities. Fethiye is in Mugla.

[@iercan1234]

living the dream i will do the same one day

[@artiets-z5j]

is grocery price increased? tomatoes cost 4-5 euro/kg in Europa. food and veggies seems affordable

[@safa.abouradi]

Great video

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Thanks!

[@Pow_Mafia]

Nice video, I am now seriously considering Turkey as my next destination for next Winter. Although it says on Google that January February and March are a bit on the colder side, I haven't seen anyone on KZbin wearing Coats or heavy clothing. Mind sharing what's your opinion on low season vs high season? (Temperature, Tourism, Prices and other general info)

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Now it's very hot; in winter, there will be comfortably cool weather outside, with just a slight chill indoors. There will be no tourists, and prices will remain the same.

[@monikawaldhauser8192]

​@@walking-in-my-shoesHelpful!

[@Recuper8]

I want to be a digital nomad. How do you make a stable living online? Can you please point me to a valid how-to-guide? Subscribed

[@mert01444]

Beautiful country

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

It really is!

[@monikawaldhauser8192]

Wonderful video! My interest is seripusly peeked! I have concerns living alone however. Just about some info i heard about swindlers (when anything out of ordinary is needed) and heard that men sometimes follow women to her door but i've never heard of anything more than that. Also, questions about the every 6hours vocal chanting; how loud does it get? Questions on rentals some say that the entire rental monthly cost is due up-front plus deposit ( inflation woes causing this) so if stayimg for 3 months or longer the whole rental months are paid up-front plus deposit. ? Thx

[@monikawaldhauser8192]

Did you travel outside of turkiye seeing your posts of vietnam. 😊

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Thank you so much for your kind words and questions! I completely understand your concerns. In big cities, there can be instances of swindlers, but I haven't heard of any such cases from my friends. As for the every 6-hour vocal chanting, it usually becomes less noticeable after a few days. Regarding rental costs, it can vary depending on the location and the rental market. While some places may require you to pay the entire monthly cost upfront along with a deposit due to inflation concerns, I've managed to find month-to-month rentals during my 4 years here. So, there are flexible options available. I hope this helps clarify things for you!

[@erolbirbeyaktar]

actually they are syrians or afgan..but there are over 15 millons of refugees or foreigner...this is problem but yet if you are good person you welcome

[@DestiniMeshack]

Great video I do have a question you said the internet with mobile was kinda of a issue. Will I have internet connection with phone? I work from home from the states and thinking about moving there.

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Thanks for enjoying the video! You can have mobile internet in Fethiye, but it might be somewhat limited compared to what you're used to in the States. Depending on your location, the coverage can vary. If reliable and fast internet is crucial for your remote work, consider having a backup option like a portable Wi-Fi device or seeking out co-working spaces. Despite any limitations, Fethiye's charm makes it a great destination. Good luck with your decision! 📱🌍

[@erolbirbeyaktar]

there ara many opportunities

[@SkylineSquid]

@@walking-in-my-shoes is the cable wifi fast? i edit videos and want to move there in a week or 2, as long as the wifis good then its the perfect spot

[@anabellabella2266]

Hi guys, I plan to travel around Europe and Asia starting in Spain. I understand I can not purchase only one way ticket, how do I approach this? How do I travel to multiple countries without holding a return ticket? Thank you.

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Hi. You can use bestonwardticket

[@metalmlover]

Great video! It seems amazing.. Is it easy to get by with English alone in Fethiye or do you have to learn Turkish?

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Thanks. English enough

[@waykiwayki]

Nice video - well done :)) Kas or Alanya? I am looking at these two.

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Thanks! Kas is very small for me. I have never been in Alanya.

[@gweilospur5877]

This was a bit more like a tourist guide than an expat guide. There was no mention at all of one of the most important questions - healthcare. On the negatives it must be admitted that as a foreigner you will be overcharged for things all the time.

[@xxladybug94]

I’m about to be an expat but my employer is providing covered healthcare. Turkey has both public and private. I’m not entirely sure how it works but my best advice would be to find a job that provides it for you before you move.

[@IowaLanguages]

You can’t get a residence permit by renting anymore. I’m moving to Turkey in February and I have no idea how I’ll stay longer than 3 months (Tourist visa). Any ideas?

[@moemrizzle1991]

Same question

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Yes, they changed the rules. No ideas.

[@xxladybug94]

Find you a job that will get you a work visa. If you aren’t wanting to work I’m not sure of an alternative:/

[@montyloads]

Hi did anyone here find a workaround to getting a visa for long time residency?

[@ajdrums8075]

They recently introduced a digital nomad Visa. Citizenship comes with buying a property for 400k USD. Residency if you buy a property above 200k USD

[@fahadsiddiqui7912]

What's your monthly expense there ? I'm planning for 3 month trip.

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

around $2k for a family of three

[@ahmeddjebb72]

Hi! Thank you for this cool video, very informative. You wrote that it was possible to obtain a residence authorization with a simple (annual) apartment rental contract. Are you sure ? Is this still the case now in September 2023?

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

Hi, thank you! It depends on which country you are from, but it still works.

[@ahmeddjebb72]

@@walking-in-my-shoes From France

[@FrozenSkyy]

Yes, was wondering about this too. I'm a British citizen, and was thinking of an extended stay in Turkey. I was told its not easy now to get long term stay permits. Could you share a link for the visa you obtained on a long term rental contract? That would be super helpful. Cheers

[@gauravpatil1867]

How you are managing growing inflation in Turkey?

[@curiousteletabi2696]

Turkey not only inexpensive but is also “tax-free” in a way I don’t think most “expats” don’t pay the necessary amount of income taxes we natives pay? Or I’m wrong with that assertion?

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

That's right😁

[@monikawaldhauser8192]

Tax free for 6 months i believe , after you pay 20-25% on full income.

[@mjheffro]

Which city were you filming?

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

fethiye

[@HATadoyt]

😮

[@samssams4796]

Very nice place but unfortunately not cheap any more, and many locals are blaming expats and tourist for making their cost of living higher , so land Lord kicking out turk from their home and rent it to foreigners for three time more , cant blame the really.

[@walking-in-my-shoes]

It is true

[@2000Blizzard]

I find being a digital nomad to be pathetic.