Wowed by the Low-Cost Lifestyle in Izmir, Turkey

We’re wrapping up a month in Izmir and what a month it’s been. Izmir is a big, exciting city with lots on offer, especially if you like bustling marketplaces and more restaurants than you can count.
💵 Take a look at our travel budget bit.ly/2NcrKDZ
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○ This is Why We Keep Coming Back to Turkey bit.ly/3NqRd7c
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ABOUT US
Imagine finally ticking off all those experiences on your bucket list. Every Sunday, we share the inspiration and practical tips you need for enjoying your own freedom years. We're Stephanie and Gillian, a couple who said goodbye to our corporate careers after years of saving and investing. We've been traveling the world full time ever since.
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#Turkey #Izmir #SlowTravel
00:00 Introduction
01:15 Entertainment
7:24 Dining out
10:09 Groceries
11:25 Airbnb tour
13:48 Total spend

[@watson457]

Turkey is incredibly underrated. So much to do and see throughout the whole country and great value too. I bet this wont be your last time back to Turkey.

[@OurFreedomYears]

It's definitely not our last visit! There are so many amazing places in Turkey to explore. 😊

[@MishMash22]

It's a beautiful country. People are very friendly.

[@TheStanfordKid]

Underrated? Not quite. At best, it is a step up from Saudi Arabia.

[@MishMash22]

@@TheStanfordKid who on earth would want to visit such a cultural desert like Saudi Arabia for a holiday? Looks like the blandest country in the Middle East with zero attractions or sites.

[@NaeOnYT]

That olive selection was just WOW. I love that the vendor was almost immediately like, "Cheese?"

[@OurFreedomYears]

It was an incredible selection of olives. They even had green olives that had been pitted and lightly grilled! I've never seen that before but they were delicious. 😊

[@shilpikachhwaha9462]

Whats the street name

[@travellingwithcrowsfeet]

We genuinely love these vlogs, so informative and put together, thank you ladies. And well done on your growing number of followers, your persistent efforts are now starting to pay off.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Thank you so much -- we try to make them a little better each time. 😊

[@zawadiboustcha5092]

Great video as always and we’re even more inspired to travel! We tried our first trip with our two pups last month and it was a bit more challenging than expected but we’re off again shortly and can’t wait to give it another go! Keep on inspiring ladies and I hope we finally run in to you now that you’re back in Toronto!

[@OurFreedomYears]

Congratulations on giving it a try with your dogs! There is certainly a learning curve for traveling with dogs -- we found it to be pretty stressful at first. But it gets a lot easier with practice. 😊

[@livingoverseasonadime5933]

Izmir looks awesome. We are doing similar to you both, doing a month in Antalya, followed by possibly Fethiye, and then Izmir. We are trying to figure out how much time we should spend at Fethiye, in that we aren't crazy about resort towns, especially with Izmir looking so amazing. Thanks for the great videos on Izmir.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Those are all great options. Ultimately it depends on the types of activities and size of city that you prefer. Izmir is big and sophisticated but Fethiye has the easy access to outdoor adventures.

[@cyclingonplants7444]

Fabulous wrap up! Izmir turned out to be a great place to stay. I liked seeing all the different vendors and you're such a good sport at speaking the language! I'm sure the local folks really appreciate that. Those ancient sites are where I would go for sure. Thanks for sharing with us :)🤗🥰

[@OurFreedomYears]

Gillian really makes a good effort with the language, although the locals often have a hard time understanding her particular pronunciation 😂

[@snailtravelers]

Yet another fantastic video. You did such a great job capturing life in Izmir. We hope our travel paths will cross again sometime in the future!

[@OurFreedomYears]

Thanks so much! We rushed out with the camera every time the sun came out and temperature rose a little 😂 Good luck with your new home base -- maybe you'll be sharing a video tour once it's all set up?!

[@snailtravelers]

@@OurFreedomYears Yes indeed!

[@zaferatik6632]

Great to see you back in Turkey 😊

[@OurFreedomYears]

We're happy to be back in this beautiful country! 😊

[@ba8898]

I was happy and relieved to see the raki accompanying the meze. But I shouldn't really have expected anything less from you guys :) Keep up the great vids!

[@OurFreedomYears]

Of course! It wouldn't be proper meze without the raki 😂

[@birolertekinq]

Amazing coverage of my hometown Izmir. I am glad you like Kokorec. It’s something I really miss. I don’t know the airbnb prices, but 1700 sounds expensive. It’s probably 6 months worth of rent if not more. Love watching your videos from different cities and countries and I am happy you picked Izmir as one of your places to stay and enjoy.

[@OurFreedomYears]

So glad to hear you enjoyed our video! 😊 Yes, our Airbnb was too expensive -- we'll look for something cheaper next time. 😂

[@rd03johnson]

Great Video. I love it there. I live there for two years while in the Navy. Thank you for bringing back beautiful memories.

[@OurFreedomYears]

So glad you enjoyed the video! What a beautiful city...we had a great time 😊

[@places-travelvideos4k335]

amazing video thank you for this

[@OurFreedomYears]

Glad you enjoyed it! 😊

[@artbrutnewyork]

Amazing breakfast! Those eggs were HUGE! Great to hear your Turkish!

[@OurFreedomYears]

We miss those breakfasts already!

[@Kari-Evan]

Just watched your Turkey videos, I can’t wait to go for food and sea views, thanks for sharing costs.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Glad you enjoyed them! I get hungry just thinking about those amazing Turkish breakfasts 😂

[@burakalp13ylonce53]

Thank you for contributing to the promotion of Turkey.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Turkey is a beautiful country; we're so happy to have visited. 😊

[@kimberlylalley7255]

You both are glowing! Love the blues. Jasper and Huxley are such great sports. Were they able to go into the mosque or did one of you have to sit out with them? Did Stephanie get a new tattoo? I hadn't noticed before. I'm wondering if you'll be shocked by Canadian prices and feeling the high inflation now that you are back in North America. Would you consider doing a video on your gear? I love the blue sling bag Stephanie uses and wonder how much it holds. Is that the same one that houses Huxley? Excellent video. You both cover so much and do a great job of editing. I'm sure it takes a long time to give us our daily dose of Our Freedom Years. Thank you.

[@OurFreedomYears]

The pups had to stay outside the mosque - no big surprise there! My bag is a Patagonia Atom sling bag -- highly recommended. It can hold a surprising amount of stuff: a water bottle, small food container, sunglasses, phone and lots of other odds and ends. But it definitely can't fit a poodle 😂

[@rhall5610]

Enjoyed your video!!!

[@OurFreedomYears]

Glad to hear it! 😊

[@thereselandefeld5065]

I love watching your videos!

[@OurFreedomYears]

Glad you like them! 😊

[@harjindersaroya6604]

Another great video, as always! I’ve been binge watching all of them these past couple of weeks. I watched the Croatia ones multiple times as my daughter is headed there to spend a couple of months living and working at a hostel in old town Dubrovnik, in between graduating university and starting her adult career back home. Any advice for a 22-year-old Canadian girl for what she should bring with her from home that might not be easy to find at a reasonable price when she gets there? Thank you!

[@OurFreedomYears]

What an amazing adventure for your daughter! She'll have a great time. Dubrovnik is the most expensive place to live in Croatia and it's also a small town so it doesn't have a wide range of goods. I would suggest that she brings along plenty of personal care items, which can be hard to find there. Additionally, any special treats or essentials like coffee or tea. And she should plan to do a lot of cooking as there are limited options for reasonably priced dining out. 😊

[@ercantekin1937]

You explained my city beautifully, thank you. You discovered the historical bazaar and some foods Izmir is different, it is more free and tolerant. There are many beautiful tourist attractions and clean seas around. Visit those places and tell them about them. Nice video.

[@OurFreedomYears]

So glad you enjoyed the video. Izmir is a beautiful city and we would be happy to visit again.

[@tamercam6952]

You are a realy nice team with your lovely dogs. Thank you for your nice video.

[@OurFreedomYears]

You are so kind -- thanks very much! 😊

[@jchi9341]

I love the content and I love your enthusiasm. You have given me a lot to think about and a wonderful sense of urgency about adventures! One small suggestion, please enunciate more and slow down. I'm a native speaker (and ESL teacher) but I had to replay this a few times. The enunciation issue might be a sound system problem so perhaps you can get a better mic? Just a thought. Keep up the good "work"!

[@OurFreedomYears]

Thanks for the great tip - we're always trying to improve our videos. 😊 Glad that you're finding our content helpful.

[@murataydin4366]

Welcome to my hometown, İzmir (Smyrna)! And, thank you for presenting the beauty of İzmir to your followers... +1

[@OurFreedomYears]

Thank you for the warm welcome! It's a beautiful city. 😊

[@Turkiye.261]

Sahiller bok kokmasa daha guzel olucak, 🤣 🤣 🤣

[@murataydin4366]

@@Turkiye.261 belli ki sivas köylüsü olarak deniz görmemişsin. Olsun denizi bilme zaten defol git sivasına... O deniz kokusudur, senin bokladığın kasabanın tezek kokusu değil...Sen koku derken yasadığın kasabanın bok kokusuyla diğer yerleri karıştırma. Cahildeki özgüvene bak.. Hayatında bozkırdan başka bir şey görmemiş sivaslı kasaba bozuntusu gelmiş İzmir'in sahil yerlerine bir de laf ediyor. Git önce bir deniz gör sen :D :D :D

[@Wideangle11]

Nice Video, good info🤘

[@OurFreedomYears]

Glad you liked it!

[@SirawatBoomSayhi]

it's a reLly nice guide. I have planed to there around in November 2022

[@OurFreedomYears]

Wonderful! You'll have a great time. 😊

[@wanderinwhilewecan]

Hey guys, I just found your channel and I am loving it! Your channel came up through my research about traveling with a dog (love that you travel with yours). We moved from the US to Turkey back in February 2022 and did all the paperwork already but we are now moving from Turkey to Italy and are a bit confused about the process. I saw on a different video that you guys did that leg also but I was not able to message there (sorry for spamming here). We manage to get an EU pet passport during our time in Greece but now since we will be flying from Turkey (high rabies risk) I am not quite sure the EU passport works without the health certificate... Would you mind sharing your experience with that travel you guys did a couple of years ago? Really appreciate any info about this! Now I will be back to watch your other videos.. what a way to travel!!!

[@OurFreedomYears]

Welcome to our channel - so great that you found us! If your EU pet passport is fully up to date, that should be all the documentation you need to enter the EU. We flew from Turkey to Italy a couple years ago and used only our EU pet passport and titre test documents without issue (no health certificate). That said, it's always worth triple checking the requirements because they do change over time. Hope that helps!

[@seanlive6975]

Good insights into Izmir. How did you learn Turkish?

[@OurFreedomYears]

We didn't really learn Turkish, just a few niceties and some numbers to help with grocery shopping. Usually we look up what we want to say in Google Translate and give it our best shot!

[@mariasantos-scherer927]

I think learning German language is much easier than learning turkish language. I 'm so eager to spend vacation in Izmir because of the beautiful places and the meditaranien foods that my daughter and her family showed in the pictures during their vacation in Izmir.

[@OurFreedomYears]

We haven't tried learning German yet but certainly Turkish is quite a challenge! Izmir is definitely a beautiful place to visit and you might want to consider Antalya as well -- another lovely spot.

[@lostsoul3098]

if you you know persian/urdu you already know like half of the turkish language. because alot of words are same just the way they pronounce is different.

[@jannekedebrie598]

The airbnb is an extreme rip off, but I am sure it was calculated based on a daily hotel rate.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Yes, we often end up overpaying with these short term Airbnb rentals. But it was still a lot of fun to be in Izmir.

[@carmenpeters728]

The rate of exchange TKY to USD is over $27.00 now. Don't get too excited because in the stores you don't get much bang for the buck. Those Liras will fly out of your hands.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Of course. With inflation, the cost of living goes up for everyone.

[@manishsharma-rv9qs]

Fantastic

[@OurFreedomYears]

Thank you so much 😀

[@bulentbocekler7710]

Bravo, Super...

[@OurFreedomYears]

It's an exciting city!

[@shanethrelfall416]

Would it be best to stick with Turkish liras? I know in Antalya and Side they prefer the Euros 💶 I’m going in October and not sure which currency would be best for value

[@OurFreedomYears]

For our own spending, we used credit cards as much as possible. For smaller purchases, we used liras and didn't run into any issues.

[@shanethrelfall416]

@@OurFreedomYears Thanks! ❤️

[@Ups434]

$1700 pm for accomodation is rip-off. Top $400 would be expensive too. Sad.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Yes, very expensive.

[@jackhu1948]

How did you get the rental car so cheap? I rented cars here last two months, it's almost 50-60 USD per day including insurnace...

[@OurFreedomYears]

We usually shop around for good rates using Qeeq. Of course, the rates can change quite a bit depending on the season. We were in Turkey during the off season so that likely helped with the rate.

[@vilmasandoval1356]

Hi I’m new seeing your videos in fact this is my first one, I would like to know if you are north American citizens, what drivers license do you use to drive the rental car? I would like to know, but I would like to know that too. Thank you for sharing your video very informative, specially cause you went to part I’ll like to visit in Izmir.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Glad you enjoyed the video! We are Canadian and use an international driver's licence to rent cars when we're in other countries like Turkey.

[@dmia123]

what was the nae of the bazaar? we are there this may? thx

[@jalehlashkari837]

It's so beautiful

[@OurFreedomYears]

Yes, it's a really beautiful city 😊

[@tucut8054]

I have in in ephosos too.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Amazing!

[@gif24gt60]

Do you have any videos on Albania, Thailand, maylasia, and Vietnam?

[@OurFreedomYears]

We have quite a few videos about Albania - you can check out the whole series starting with this one bit.ly/3dkh9R4 Since we used to live in Singapore, we spent a lot of time in all the Southeast Asian countries. However, we hadn't started making videos back then. Maybe we'll head back again in the future 😊

[@plonss]

Please realize that the term "low cost life style" is only applicable to those with foreign currencies in their pockets: tourists and the richer segment of the Turkish population. Turkish prices are incredibly high and still continue to rise compared to the average local salary.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Excellent point - thank you for sharing.

[@victracy33]

I was wondering your cost for apartments does that include additional fees for two dogs?

[@OurFreedomYears]

So far we've never had to pay additional fees for our dogs. So the price we pay is the same as what any other guest would pay.

[@MrTimetravler]

Do you need a international driver's license for renting that car in izmir? What company did you rent from? I am American on vacation here in izmir

[@OurFreedomYears]

I always show my international licence but I'm not certain if it's required for Turkey. We rented from Sixt which was the closest rental company from where we were staying and had good rates. Enjoy your vacation!

[@ayubhagi-mohamed1564]

How is the weather like there? What month were you there?

[@OurFreedomYears]

We were there in March and it was very chilly, often at freezing. However, Turkey was going through a cold snap at the time so it was colder than typical.

[@lostsoul3098]

So in 2 years prices have increased incredibly. Agora museum visit now (apr 2024) costs around 8$ Per person for foreigners . Ephesus costs now (apr 2024) 32$ per person for foreigners. just letting your viewers know that its like that. try first agora if you like it then try Ephesus. because agora is a mini version of same greek architecture. you dont have to spend alot of you didnt like that architecture and go to ephesus.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Great comments - thanks for sharing! There's been a lot of inflation in Turkey since our last visit.

[@lostsoul3098]

@@OurFreedomYears agreed that its been inflation lately everywhere. but turkiye is taking it all out from foreigners pockets. Ephesus for residents/citizens is 40 TL = 1.2$ but for foreigners its 40Euro starting. just saying how it is now. 🙂

[@abedmasri7101]

What is the best hotel area to stay at in İzmir if iam going for 2 days ?

[@OurFreedomYears]

Sorry - we only stay in Airbnbs so we don't have any recommendations.

[@shilpikachhwaha9462]

Please share the name of the street and restaurants

[@mlwelter]

Hoping you see this, can you tell me what time of year you lived there?

[@OurFreedomYears]

It was an unusually cold March!

[@CatherinesChronicles_]

I want togo there now!!

[@OurFreedomYears]

It was an amazing city to visit...you should also check out Antalya, which is another great spot on the coast of Turkey.

[@marthawhite842]

Which pet carriers do you use?

[@OurFreedomYears]

We use the large Sturdi carriers and we're very happy with them.

[@suzannemarta933]

I would love to live in Izmir Turkey the only concern I have are the earthquakes the last one they had was huge and killed a lot of people. Are you ever worried about that?

[@OurFreedomYears]

We just visited for a month so the past earthquake wasn't top of mind then. However, I do think it's a good practice to evaluate the associated risks of any place you're thinking of living full time.

[@shimi_raikkonen]

I feel like I'm watching Fred Armisen talk about Turkish coffee. 😉

[@OurFreedomYears]

I just love him -- definitely take it as a compliment 😂

[@shimi_raikkonen]

@@OurFreedomYears He's one of my favs, as well. Enjoying your content.

[@billrosen4613]

Yikes ! $2,300 for a month in Izmir!. As an American I spend part of the year in Izmir which I enjoy for the peace and quite compared to NYC. I rent a large one bedroom in Alsancak year around (the upper west side of izmir) Wait for it!) $176.00. My mortgage in nyc is $6,000.00 a month USD we eat like princes for $300,00 a month maybe we spend $600.00 total a month including everything.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Amazing! You found great value in Izmir -- $176 a month is incredible. Well done. Of course, we always end up overpaying since we're booking short term through Airbnb. 😂

[@tokyoslasher3522]

Hey mate. I'm looking to move to Izmir to study, are there any nice neighborhoods you can recommend that are also within a similar price range as you?

[@OurFreedomYears]

@@tokyoslasher3522 Great question. I think it depends on what amenities you're looking for in a neighbourhood. If we stayed there again, we would likely look closer to the old town and Kemeralti Bazaar as it's a lively area.

[@marilynnasr8819]

@@OurFreedomYears Are there any recommended hotels on that area

[@OurFreedomYears]

@@marilynnasr8819 Good question. We only researched Airbnbs on this trip so we can't speak to hotels.

[@vickiegger2126]

the "innards" are the intestines..... Please remember how difficult it is for Turks now that the lira is so high... Great for our dollar spending, but when you are living with wages in Liras it is horrendous.. I lived in Kusadasi for a year several years ago... and then it was only 4-5 lira to the dollar..

[@OurFreedomYears]

Excellent point - thank you for sharing. The currency crisis has affected many people.

[@travel2825]

Comparable apartment in same area - 300-500 usd

[@OurFreedomYears]

So true! We always pay more for short term Airbnb versus the local rates.

[@robtangent4664]

I worked and lived in the Izmir area for two years in the mid 80's and saw very few women wearing hijab. My Turkish friends told me that they banned all head scarf in Universities. So, I'm a bit surprised to see so many women covering their hair in Izmir 30+ years later.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Additionally the number of women wearing scarves increased as we left the city and spent time in the countryside.

[@aaronung9472]

Yeah

[@OurFreedomYears]

Thanks! 😊

[@pepper2304]

Are cars all stick shifts there?

[@OurFreedomYears]

Yes, they are predominantly stick shifts. You can find a rental company with automatic, although it does cost a lot more.

[@ratnawidyasari4230]

I loved izmir,,,this located have good old Building from yunani and Romawi empire very interesting object 😍❤️

[@OurFreedomYears]

Izmir is a beautiful city -- we're so happy to have visited. 😊

[@bettycarol8752]

How much is rentals

[@OurFreedomYears]

You can check the latest prices on Airbnb -- I'm sure they've changed a lot in the past year.

[@cameronstan5252]

Where is a good place to rent a car in Izmir?

[@OurFreedomYears]

We rented from Sixt 😊

[@hatehaters6563]

just a small tip : first put water and than ice to rakı to avoid cyrstalization 👍🏻 have fun 🤩

[@OurFreedomYears]

Great tip - thanks! 😊😊

[@shahidanusrat6086]

Mashallah mashallah marhaba marhaba love respect and support Turkey and it's beautiful people from Pakistan 🙂🇵🇰🇹🇷🥰😍 . Please visit Pakistan 🙂🇵🇰🇹🇷🥰

[@OurFreedomYears]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@aryankurd-bf5qj]

Kurdish city Kurdish country 🇹🇯✌️

[@anuonggiay9803]

🤗🤗🤗🤗💯👍

[@OurFreedomYears]

So sweet - thank you!

[@Beautiful-td3nj]

Waw

[@OurFreedomYears]

😊

[@gif24gt60]

$1,700 is expensive.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Totally agree! 😊

[@xer.g]

Türkiye çok severim yanı ❤

[@OurFreedomYears]

Güzel bir ülke

[@kaansoren]

not cognak, it's Konak

[@OurFreedomYears]

Great tip - thank you

[@scaglietti34]

Yarrım ekkmek TAMAM :)))) puhahah ya bu bizim esnaf yok mu adamı gülmekten öldürür gerçekten. Tane tane söyleyince anlayacağını düşünüyor:))

[@OurFreedomYears]

😊

[@anuonggiay9803]

I love your life to make youtube

[@OurFreedomYears]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@mrttrm9504]

👍🏻🇹🇷💕

[@OurFreedomYears]

😊

[@1232bluejays]

$20 to rent a car ?

[@OurFreedomYears]

It was a total of $48 USD across cabs and one car rental.

[@shoiku4734]

The bread is tough, takes a lot jaw to chew, even the locals pull with their teeth. Dry.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Sometimes! 😂

[@dimitrioshatzistamoulos8226]

Why didn't you mention to the audience that Izmir was actually a GREEK city and not Turkish

[@OurFreedomYears]

Izmir has such an interesting history 😊

[@jackholler3572]

Izmir is better than all greek cities maybe there is a reason for it.

[@masterfootballeague3892]

Maybe you need ask that why didn't she tell that whole Greece was a small part of Ottoman empire

[@garygoldmae6879]

They scream American lmao.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Surprise -- we're Canadian 😊

[@sjoc6162]

i laughed so much when they complained about small kitchen or not so designed or idk what bedroom 😂😂😂 like girls you have seen nothing if you complain about this but i like them and i enjoy watching them.