Retirement to Uzumlu

[flying scotsman]

I would love to move to Uzumlu fulltime but She who must be obeyed points out were too young and can't afford to:-\ so i was wondering if the fulltimers out there have worked out how much per year they will need to live comfortable i.e. 2-3 nights out, running a good car/van, running cost of say 3 bed villa with pool,2-3 flights back to U.K.and finally would you put your money in a Turkish Bank and hopefully live off the interest or keep your money in the U.K.if theres any left !![?]

[calvin 1949]

Hi have started to cost things in Uzumlu last year insurance,water rates,electric ,council tax,car tax and insurance,telephone,gas logs and internet and last of all pool chemicals cost 4,890.14ytl for the year havent worked out beer and food price yet if you think you are ready to retire you should go for it .Regards Calvin

[holidayworld]

for 2 people Living in Uzumlu and this is a rough estimate for 1 year.

Gas for cooker 168ytl
Elec 650ytl
Water/house tax/rubbish/ 180ytl
Car tax & insurance 945ytl
Po Box 3ytl
House phone & internet 828ytl
food 5200ytl
Car Gas & Petrol 3250ytl
GSM phone 403ytl
Wood for fire 240ytl
House insurance 750ytl
Total 12.617 YTL

If you want to go out 2 to 3 times a week depending where you go add an extra £10 to £15 per night.

Flights back to the UK maybe around £600 if you can get the right prices or less.

Lastly add the prices for keeping your pool running and there you go.

Any extra money Defo put it in a High interest Turkish Bank account and live of the interest.

Hope this helps.
 

[stoop]

But temper it this with:

1. What happens if you don't settle and need to sell you home in Turkey before you can buy back in the UK?

2. What happens if you do manage to sell your Turkish property and UK prices have continued to rise?

3. What happens if you have put all your money into the YTL and the pound increases in value against it just when you want the damn stuff back so that you can go back to the UK?

4. What about your health? No mention of private healthcare in the above figures. I know Turkey has a state health care system but I understand it's not that brilliant and many use Private Health care. This gets costly as you get older.

5. What happens if (when) one of you is no longer around? What if you or the wife wants to come home? Would you /she be able to handle everything alone?

6. Lastly - if you do decide to go be very careful not to put all your funds into the YTL and hope to live off the interest for the rest of your days. Remember inflation is running at round about 9% in Turkey and this will have a detrimental effect on your living standards - unless of course interest rates rise by the same amount (very unlikely). We already have members who live there full time asking the question 'Is Turkey getting expensive?'

Sorry to be such a misery but I have thought about all the above questions as we are in a position to sell up and move abroad - if we are prepared to 'burn all our bridges' and sell up over here first. My wife, like your's, had many many valid fears about doing this and it made me think. Yes - we would like to spend much more time in Turkey but we have decided to wait until neither of us needs to work and then go out to our little place for a few months every year - keeping our home in the UK.

I admire those who have done it and honestly hope it works out well for them (especially the friends we have who have 'gone the whole hog') but it's just not for us.

Good luck whicherver path you choose.

[chris tippett]

Very interesting thread. I have worked out that my wife and I + 20 year old son's living costs - house and pool, small car and all living expenses total about 15,000 ytl pa.For us the ideal solution would be, like Stoop, to have a place in uk and a place here.Turkey is NOT that cheap, food shopping and car expenses higher here. Utilities about same as uk. Big saving is on mortgage and community charge. Amazed at how few people have health insurance here. A hospital stay for a week or 2 is not cheap. Also, house prices are falling as is the real value of your money in the bank as inflation here takes its toll. THINK VERY SERIOUSLY BEFORE TAKING THE PLUNGE! Unlike many people here, including us, at least you are asking all the right questions.

[stoop]

Sound advice Chris (is that really me agreeing with you -lol). But seriously - anyone thinking about moving abroad (to any country) should take note of what the expats have to say.

[flying scotsman]

thanks for the answers to a tricky question !! i'm away to Tenerife for a week and got a shock at how strong the euro is i think every place is becoming more expensive, i think you have to pick a country that you feel comfortable with and go for it, wither its lock,stock and barrel thats the million dollar question !!!!

[chris tippett]

You will only know the answer to that question by living here - my strong advice is to rent first - for say 6 months, perhaps over the winter months. I would also advise buying resale, ideally from a Brit. House prices are stable here presently and I honestly believe you will get less hassle from a fellow countrtyman when working through the house buying intracacies.

[bikerchickblonde]

Hi, we have villa in uzumlu and very small house in England, go out 2-3 times a week and eat well , have bought a second hand Turkish car and will let you know in day or two what it will roughly cost you and what interest you get on savings in Turkish but it is 2 in the morning now so will have to be tomorrow or day after!   But we could have done with that info when we moved here! But my advice is, life is short - enjoy it !!