🇹🇷 Turkey
Ankara: what to see and whether to move there
Ankara is Turkey's political and administrative capital, where Hittite mounds, Roman baths and the mausoleum of the republic's founder sit alongside broad ministry boulevards.
Anıtkabir
The monumental hilltop mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the country's most powerful national symbol.
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
One of the world's finest collections of Hittite, Phrygian and Urartian artifacts inside an old covered bazaar.
Ankara Castle
Ancient hilltop walls overlooking Ulus, enclosing a maze of narrow old-town streets.
Kocatepe Mosque
Ankara's largest mosque, built in neo-Ottoman style and visible from across the city.
Ankara Ethnography Museum
Seljuk and Ottoman art alongside the building that once housed Atatürk's first resting place.
Roman Baths
The ruins of a 3rd-century Roman bathing complex sitting right among modern city streets.
Hamamönü district
A restored old quarter of Ottoman houses, coffee shops and craft stores.
Gençlik Park
A spacious city park with a lake, funfair rides and paths beloved by local strollers.
Atakule Tower
An observation tower in Çankaya offering panoramic views over the whole capital.
Kızılay street cafés
The pedestrian heart of downtown, packed with cafés, tea gardens and street food of every kind.
What the city lives on and who it suits
Ankara has been Turkey's capital since 1923 and is the country's second-largest metro area, with about 6 million people. It hosts the government, parliament, embassies, leading universities, and defence and engineering industries. Unlike Istanbul, it is a city of civil servants, students and engineers: calmer, greener, with wide avenues and less traffic.
Living in Ankara is noticeably cheaper than in Istanbul or the resorts, while schools, universities and healthcare are of a high standard. The downsides are a continental climate with cold winters and high inflation that keeps lira prices rising.
It suits families who need good schools and a calm city, students, engineering and IT specialists, and people with foreign-currency income. It does not suit those seeking the sea, tourist life and an international scene like Istanbul's.
Neighbourhoods: where newcomers settle
| Area | Who it suits |
|---|---|
| Çankaya and Kavaklıdere | those who want to live centrally near embassies, cafés and ministries |
| Gaziosmanpaşa | diplomats and families: prestigious streets, city views |
| Ümitköy and Çayyolu | families: new residential complexes, metro, schools and malls |
| İncek | those wanting a house or villa with a garden in the south |
| Bahçelievler | students and young professionals: universities, affordable flats |
In some areas foreigner registration is closed because of a cap on their share of residents, so check the address before signing a lease.
Cost of living
| Item | Approx. per month |
|---|---|
| Two-bedroom flat in Çankaya or Çayyolu | $500-1,000 |
| One-bedroom flat | $350-650 |
| Groceries for one | $200-300 |
| Metro and bus pass | ~$20-30 |
| Private health insurance | from $40 per person |
A single person lives comfortably on about $1,200-1,800 a month including rent, a family with a child from $2,500. The lira is falling fast: on 05.10.2026 about 49 lira per dollar at the European Central Bank rate, so leases are often indexed annually.
Practicalities: transport, climate, money
- Transport. Metro and light rail, buses, cheap taxis; ride-hailing apps are handy in the evening. The high-speed train to Istanbul takes about 4.5 hours, to Konya and Eskişehir an hour to an hour and a half.
- Climate. Continental: cold snowy winters, hot dry summers, short springs and autumns, the nicest seasons for walking.
- Taxes. Income tax 15-40%. New residents can be exempt from tax on foreign income for 20 years. See Turkey taxes.
- Money. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; currency is exchanged at banks and exchange offices.
- Entry. Russian nationals need no visa for up to 60 days per trip.
Family: schools and healthcare
Public schools are free and teach in Turkish. Ankara has private schools with strong English and several embassy-linked international schools, costing about $5,000-20,000 a year. Private hospitals are modern and inexpensive by European standards, many doctors speak English, and university clinics are among the best in the country.
Moving and legal status
| Basis | Main condition | More |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term residence | a lease or housing, insurance; up to 2 years, renewable | Turkey residence |
| Property purchase | a home from $200,000 for residence | Turkey residence |
| Citizenship by investment | property from $400,000 held for 3 years | Turkish citizenship |
| Work and study | a work permit through an employer or university enrolment | - |
Long-term residence is granted after 8 years of continuous residence. Ankara's migration office is less busy than Istanbul's, so appointments are usually easier to get.
First steps after the move
- get a tax number at a tax office or online; it is needed for renting, banking and phone lines;
- sign a lease in an area open to foreigners and arrange insurance;
- fill in the residence form online and attend the migration office on the set date;
- open a bank account and register a phone brought from abroad;
- enrol children in school before the academic year starts.
Is the city worth considering for living
Yes, if you want calm life in a big city, good schools and universities, low costs and a clear route to residence and citizenship. No, if the sea, a tourist atmosphere and an international scene like Istanbul or Antalya matter to you. We choose the basis, check the area for registration and support the process; we fix our fee after a free consultation.
Services
Murblz services in Turkey
A passport or residence permit opens the door, but life behind it is awkward without a bank account and a roof over your head. Murblz specialists help with the account, property and company in the same country. The quote is fixed in writing before work starts.
FAQ
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Relocation options
Starting a business in Ankara?
We register a company in Turkey, get the tax number, open a bank account and arrange residence through the business. The catalogue covers company registration in every country.