Turkey 2026: Antalya at rock-bottom cost, and a 20-year tax exemption now in force

Since Law No. 7582 (Official Gazette of 4 June 2026), a new resident who settled from 1 January 2026, with neither a domicile nor tax liability in Turkey during the three preceding calendar years, is exempt for 20 years on foreign-source income, with no return. Otherwise, common law applies: a Turkish tax resident is taxed on worldwide income. Foreign-source dividends and capital gains fall under the progressive scale of 15% to 40%, by annual return, with no automatic withholding at source. Under the 20-year regime, however, foreign withholding taxes cannot be credited. Source: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries Turkey 2026 and Law No. 7582.

The Turkish parliament voted, on 21 May 2026, a regime exempting all foreign-source income of new residents for 20 years, on condition that they had neither a domicile nor tax liability in Turkey during the three calendar years preceding the move (2023, 2024, 2025 for a 2026 arrival). Published in the Official Gazette on 4 June 2026 (Law No. 7582), it covers residents who settled from 1 January 2026: the exemption is automatic, with no return, but foreign withholding taxes cannot be credited. Source: Law No. 7582, Official Gazette of 4 June 2026.

Foreign-source dividends are subject to the progressive income tax scale, from 15% to 40% (15% up to 190,000 TRY, then 20%, 27%, 35%, and 40% above 5.3 million TRY), with a tax credit for foreign withholding. The 50% exemption reserved for holdings of at least 50% does not apply to ETFs. For a typical Western investor, the upper Turkish brackets exceed the roughly 25% to 35% usually paid on capital. Source: PwC 2026.

They fall under the same progressive scale of 15% to 40%, by annual return and with no automatic withholding. The exemption available for shares in Turkish companies (held more than two years, or the 0% rate on Borsa Istanbul through a Turkish intermediary) does not apply to foreign securities. Under common law, capital taxation is therefore nothing favorable against the roughly 25% to 35% a Western investor typically pays. That is precisely what the 20-year regime removes for eligible new residents, in force since the law of 4 June 2026. Source: PwC 2026.

There is no wealth tax in Turkey. Direct-line inheritance follows a progressive scale of 1% to 10%, which is gentle by Western standards, where inheritance taxation in the direct line can be far higher in several countries. Source: PwC 2026.

The cost of living is among the lowest in the Mediterranean basin, with an index of around 40, buoyed by a weak lira. A three-bedroom flat in the city center rents for around €750 a month, a meal for two costs around €34, and a pint €2.72. Antalya, on the warm Mediterranean coast, is the reference city. Be careful, though: these euro prices can drift quickly with inflation and the falling lira. Source: cost-of-living indices, 2026.

In Antalya, the square meter trades at around €1,740 in the city center and €1,050 on the outskirts, low levels for a large European coastal city. Buying can also open the way to a residence permit or citizenship by investment, among the cheapest in the world. Currency risk remains central: a purchase denominated in lira is exposed to its volatility. Source: real-estate indices, 2026.

Yes, that is the main point of vigilance. The lira trades at around 55.95 TRY per euro, with volatility of around 21% a year and inflation of around 35%, easing but still very high. Income or wealth held in a stable currency can lose relative value quickly or, conversely, benefit from the lira's fall. This risk must be hedged, and the bulk of savings kept out of lira. Source: market data, 2026.

Its score is weak: Turkey ranks 136th out of 163 on the 2026 Global Peace Index (score 2.605), which mainly reflects regional and internal tensions. In practice, Antalya and the tourist areas remain workable for a careful expatriate, who will choose city and neighborhood with care. Source: Institute for Economics and Peace, Global Peace Index 2026.

The big cities have modern private healthcare, often at rates below Western levels, with hospitals known for medical tourism. The higher country risk and uneven public coverage nonetheless warrant international insurance including evacuation. The school level remains average, with a 2025 PISA mean of 476. Source: international insurers and OECD PISA 2025.

There is no dedicated retirement visa. Beyond 90 days in any 180, you need a short-term, renewable residence permit, applied for at the Directorate General of Migration Management depending on the basis (sufficient income, real-estate ownership, family reunification). Citizenship through real-estate investment is among the cheapest in the world. Source: Turkish Presidency, Migration Management, 2026.

No: the law of 21 May 2026 was published in the Official Gazette on 4 June 2026 and applies to residents who settled from 1 January 2026. Without eligibility, only common law applies, meaning worldwide taxation on the 15% to 40% scale. The non-residence condition over the three years preceding the move targets recent arrivals, and the implementing rules are set by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance. Better to have your situation validated by a tax adviser before any commitment. Source: Law No. 7582, Official Gazette of 4 June 2026.