Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Calis Beach Forum => Expat & Property Owners Q and A Forum => Topic started by: trainer on February 05, 2018, 10:37:25 AM
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This is a question mainly to expats just wondering how far the £ goes now, basically how much does it cost on average per month to live especially now the exchange rate is so good, and when calculating don't take into account the price of effes :D
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What expenses are you be talking about.?Would it include rent and running a vehicle? Heating for the winter is another consideration.Or are you just asking about a trip around the shops for some food?
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Groceries, electric , rates and any other expenses except rent, transport and eating out
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Health insurance is a big consideration.That would be the first thing that can change a dream into a nightmare if you are ill or have an accident.
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I think Trainer is just asking, forgetting Insurance etc, on a monthly basis what do people budget for to live a good life in Turkey.
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It varies hugely and depends on what constitutes a good life to each person. Some people live like they're on holiday, eat like they're still in the UK, don't shop around, have expensive TV packages, drink daily. it all depends what makes people happy.
I absolutely love life here and most of the days I enjoy most cost next to nothing.
Today is stretch & tone, 10tl, free Turkish lesson, then teaching English voluntarily, then a home cooked meal with ingredients bought at the market ( usually 30 tl a week or less for all our fresh fruit and veg ) chicken breast which was on offer at 11.90 a kilo in Migros :)
This eve will be catching up on First Dates and Kiri.
Tomorrow is walking group, a hike up the mountains in Uzumlu with views over Kemer and a packed lunch with a great bunch of people and another meal at home.
Thursday is rummicub with a group of friends, coffee and a snack where we play and so on...
We don't eat out often, i prefer my own cooking to be honest and find most of the restaurants hit and miss, nearly always have lunch at the market as still love the atmosphere and people watching after 7 years, lunch in Calis or Fethiye once a week, prefer to eat local toasties, soup, or a döner etc .
Had a full English on the prom yesterday in the sunshine, has to be done sometimes ( 48tl with coffees etc) bought a couple of pillows and some coffee cake at the Haydos table top sale.
Went to Shine for curry last Saturday ( 113 tl)
Got a couple of charity do's this month, 35tl a ticket plus drinks and raffle. Monthly quiz in Uzumlu, usually have dinner there.
I make all my own sauces, soups, curries and waste nothing. Even made my own mincemeat & Christmas cake, cranberry sauce & so on. It's so much more satisfying than going to Tesco.
Only use the pork shop for noodles and baked beans. We rarely eat beef or lamb, although the Bim cubed beef makes an amazing Tagine.
Don't buy loads of clothes, it's low key here and you don't need to get dressed up to go out for an evening.
This months electric was130 tl, it's been incredibly mild this year, ttnet 68tl. Have an android box so no subscription. Sgk 480tl.1gb mobile internet 20tl. Don't get a calling package, use WhatsApp etc.
Weekly bits in Bim, fresh bread, eggs, cheese, cleaning stuff etc about 50tl.
Gas for cooking lasts around 3/4 months and is 80/90 to depending on the dollar.
Car tax is twice a year and was 400tl as car is 2 litre. It went up 25% this year.
Fuel is crazy expensive but we have lpg which helps.
My Turkish is at a level now where I can shop online from GittiGidiyor, Hepsiburada, N11 etc which is so much cheaper.
We play pool & darts league and on average are out 2 evenings a week, we don't drink much.
We choose to live frugally because we love to travel. Now we're not tied to 4 weeks leave a year we've done Asia, Sri Lanka, Bali, Borneo, Croatia since coming here and off to Oz this year.
Biggest expense is having family and friends over as eat out more, visit places etc and of course have to factor in trips to UK.
Everyone will be different. I retired at 50 so my savings have to ( hopefully) last a long time and I don't have any pension yet.
Sent from my Lenovo YT-X703F using Tapatalk
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Thanks for the info, it all sounds perfect and the way we want to live when we move over hopefully next year, And it"s to to hear you love living there :)
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Oooopps....Sorry that should say ...GOOD to hear you love living there !!!
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Thanks for the reply's this basically started as a conversation with the wife on the cost of living in Calis compared to Middlesbrough where we live I said if you were careful you could live for around £500 per month that's excluding rent as we own a property
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What an excellent read and response by Kayakebab, to me this is what a forum is all about. Although not full time in Turkey as still having to work, her indoors came up with about the same 500 pound a month figure to live. I also agree that being in Turkey is not a 52 week holiday but a lifestyle change.
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Great Reply Kayakebab
We like many, are considering drawing our pensions early at 55 and living a more sedate lifestyle around Fethiye. We came over this Christmas just to get a feel what it was like out of season and loved the place even more.
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Here here what a great post & read Linda ????I know we dont live full time and never will be moving over full time,( that ship has sailed and now i like having the best of both worlds) i do love the freedom now I have residency of coming and going as i please...last year I did 5 months which were fab and defo felt like i was living not holidaying...sometimes I miss the "excitement feeling" of ooh im going on holiday and so it was lovely to spend 10 days at hotels in Antalya recently and have that "were on our holidays" feeling but 10 days in a hotel was defo enough for us :)
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Is inflation a serious consideration ?
If it runs at 10% per annum the £ 500 would be £ 665.50 in 3 years time.
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Is inflation a serious consideration ?
If it runs at 10% per annum the £ 500 would be £ 665.50 in 3 years time.
It Is, but 5 years ago the lira was 2.65 to the pound now its 5.30 that's 20% per annum for keeping your cash in sterling
using the same theory £500 streling would be equivalent to a Turkish value of £864 in 3 years if the exchange rate continues on its overall trend
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Great post Linda, I love these threads about the cost of living here :-)
It is very much 'how long is a piece of string'?
Yes, inflation is creeping up,the prices go up in leaps and bounds - 1 minute a can of beans in Kipa is 6tl, the next week its 9tl !!! Just one example.
The exchange rate is making me a lot better off at the moment, when I moved here the rate was 3 to the pound and now its 5, but it could easily go the other way and go back down, great for Turkey of course.
I personally just manage on £1000 a month, but that includes £300 rent. I don't smoke or drink much, and I no longer run a car, I look at Linda's post and wonder how they do it as a couple, but we are all different, and some people manage their money better than others I guess :-)
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What about hairdressers,a manicure ,pedicure and the occasional Turkish Bath? All very necessary!!! :D
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Lived here over 10 years now, never been to the hairdresser, had a manicure or pedicure, I have had a bath at home now and again in that time, does that count as a "Turkish bath" :D :D :D :D ;) ;) 8) 8) 8) 8)
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No way! you have to suffer on the slab to qualify! Hope that you are keeping well :D
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Have a thought for The locals who don't have anywhere near £500 a month to live on..Even when they do get to pension age..I know English women married to Turkish men who really struggle.. I have also seen what some families in Gunlukbasi do to survive.. I would never say "live like a local" as it is nearly impossible for most Brits..
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Everyone I know who's come up with a "monthly figure" has conceded subsequently that in reality it was double their original estimate :)
Saying that, if the lira keeps in the same direction you'll be able to live, eat out four times a week and run a Range Rover all for about fifteen bob in sterling!
JF