Hello fellow nomads,
This week’s issue featuring Istanbul🇹🇷. The city that bridges Europe and Asia continents. Istanbul has been a rising remote work hub on NomadList since the pandemic started as Turkey’s border was open for all foreigners and it is really affordable city that offers a lot what you pay for. I came to Turkey the last October as well. I am nomading in Turkey since then. It is has been an amazing experience so far. I canceled my flight to Lisbon yesterday and decided to stay in Turkey at least until April. Covid-wise situation is pretty stable here now. Heavy restrictions are lifted as of March 1. Now, let’s dig into my Istanbul Nomad Directory!
Istanbul Nomad Directory
Nomad life cost: 1000 EUR min. monthly budget for a good life
Calculation based on monthly rent around 400-600 EUR for 1br apartment, studio, or private room. You mostly cook at home. Weekends dining out.
Source: Go check out the life cost tool for Istanbul, Numbeo site
Internet speed: Average 15-20 Mbps
in central Istanbul, which is good enough for Zoom calls, e-mail, Netflix, surfing.
If your stay equipped with fiber optic internet, it might be at least 50 Mbps.
Safety: Safe
Istanbul is a considerably safe city. The downside is that 16 million people live there so expect a big city rush and chaos. But in Istanbul even this chaos makes you feel alive. The city that never sleeps. Lively vibes. Love it <3
Weather: From mid-December to mid-March, winter sets in Istanbul, the temperature rarely exceeds 10 degrees celsius. There are also many sunny days in winter. Summer is hot, often exceeds 25°C. The peak season for tourism; July and August.
Nomad Community: It is improving day by day. Istanbul has been a rising remote work hub for digital nomads and remote workers during the pandemic since most countries’ citizens grant 3-month tourist visas on arrival and super easy to get a 1-year residence permit after your tourist visa expires. Istanbul is really cosmopolitan city with diverse culture and people. There is also a very active expat community in Istanbul. Co-working spaces, expat events are good spots to meet like-minded people. You can also join Istanbul Digital Nomads and expat groups on Facebook to meet new people in Istanbul.
Co-working spaces:Â Most popular ones;Â Kolektif House, Workinton, and Impact Hub Istanbul.
Istanbul is an amazing city. Frankly, one of my fav cities in the world. You would not regret giving a chance to Istanbul for your next nomad destination. Warm helpful people, amazing Turkish food, and magnificently rich history. It is a really affordable city. I believe now Istanbul is an underrated city for digital nomads but it has huge potential to attract more digital nomads in the near future. Istanbul is also a great flight connection hub to most countries around the world by the country’s national carrier Turkish Airlines. The city has a giant new Istanbul Airport, direct flights to many countries around the world. This is a big advantage for digital nomads.
If you have any questions about nomading in Turkey in general, please reply/ comment to this e-mail/post.
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See you down the road,
Furkan