Turkey is so cheap for tourists primarily due to the depreciated Turkish Lira (TRY), making foreign currency like GBP, USD, or EUR go much further, combined with a generally lower cost of living, budget travel options (airlines, hotels), and local market dynamics where prices are set lower for travelers compared to places like Western Europe. However, inflation is high for locals, so while it feels cheap for visitors, prices are rising, and being savvy by avoiding tourist traps is key.
As a general rule of economics, if something can be found cheaper somewhere, you have no reason to pay more elsewhere. Turkey is extremely cheap for vacations, due to the continuous devaluation of the Turkish lira so it's the most wise choice for medium and low income tourists.
Turkey is an easily affordable destination for budget travelers. It's quite feasible to explore the vast & beautiful country on well under $600 US per month. With this budget, economical travelers can enjoy many wonderful sites, attractions and activities as well as visit several destinations and eating very well.
Despite these challenges, Turkey's investment climate remains attractive due to its strategic location, large domestic market, and favorable demographics, although risks persist from structural weaknesses, high current account deficits, and geopolitical tensions.
At Turkish beaches, anything goes. Most women wear clothing as they would in Europe or their home countries. Shorts, T-shirts, and flip-flops or bare feet are perfectly fine.
No, you no longer pay a £10 fee to enter Turkey; that practice ended years ago, with UK (and EU) passport holders generally able to visit for tourism for up to 90 days without needing a visa or paying an entry fee, though you still need a valid passport. The old fee was for an arrival visa, which was replaced by an online e-visa system and then largely waived for many nationalities, but always check current GOV.UK requirements before travel.
Turkey's powerful textile sector means that most fabric and trims are produced domestically, often near garment factories. This local sourcing cuts both time and logistics costs.
Generally it's enough when you don't overspend yourself and don't want to do all at once. Just my advice here is, don't come now and wait at least beyond September. Either make your plans for end of September or October, when the weather is still Okey and the crowd is a bit less.
An average restaurant in Turkey is about five times cheaper than in the UK. A meal includes appetizers, bread and sauces and only costs around £3.50 for the main course and a salad. The equivalent in London would cost around £15.
Other modern Second World countries are those that were not aligned with the USSR but do still fall in the middle of the scale; the majority of countries in Latin America and South America are examples of modern Second World countries, as are Turkey, South Africa, and Thailand.
USDA certified turkey is guaranteed to be of high quality. The USDA mark of inspection certifies that turkey and turkey products have been properly processed and certified as fit for human consumption. The USDA Classification Seal indicates quality, and most U.S. turkey meat is rated Grade A.
The country's economy ranked as the 18th-largest in the world and 8th-largest in Europe by nominal GDP in 2023. It also ranked as the 11th-largest in the world and 5th-largest in Europe by PPP in 2023. According to the IMF, as of 2022, Turkey had an upper-middle income, mixed-market, emerging economy.
There's an ongoing high threat of terrorist attacks. Possible targets include tourist areas, transport networks, shopping malls, hotels, places of worship and diplomatic premises. Be alert to potential threats, especially in locations frequented by foreigners.
The Anker Living Wage Reference Value for 2021 for urban Turkey is TRY 4,954 per month. This is the average living wage over 2021 required by an urban worker to be able to afford a basic but decent living standard for himself or herself and his/her family in a typical urban area of Turkey.
Yes, tipping is expected in restaurants. In small and casual eateries, rounding up the bill is enough. For example, if the bill is 190 TL, leaving 200 TL is polite. In mid-range restaurants, leaving 5–10% is common.
The "333 rule" in clothing refers to two popular minimalist fashion concepts: the viral TikTok trend of using 3 tops, 3 bottoms, and 3 shoes to create numerous outfits (9 items total) for styling practice, and the more extensive Project 333, where you select 33 items (including clothes, shoes, and accessories) to wear for three months, excluding essentials like underwear, workout gear, and sleepwear, to simplify your wardrobe and reduce decision fatigue. Both methods focus on versatility, quality over quantity, and creating a functional capsule wardrobe.
When visiting Turkey, do dress modestly (especially at religious sites), accept tea/hospitality, try local food (like baklava), bargain respectfully in markets, use right hand for eating/passing items, and remove shoes at homes/mosques; don't wear shorts in mosques, speak loudly in places of worship, show excessive public affection, drink alcohol in public, insult the Turkish flag/nation, or use your left hand for dining/passing. Be aware of surroundings, especially regarding scams and sensitive topics like politics or religion.
I recommend dressing more formally when traveling there, with shoulders and knees covered, a high neckline (no cleavage please), and no transparent or form-hugging clothing. You'll show respect and get more respect in return. Female travellers do not need to cover their hair unless visiting a mosque.
