With the cost of living in Turkey, the question of the average salary in Turkey is common. Are you considering living and or working in Turkey?
In this article, I’ll give you a detailed description of the average salary in Turkey, depending on your work or area of interest.
Average Salary in Turkey
The average salary in Turkey is below 2000 Turkish Liras which is around $119 monthly.
This is not the statistics for all cities. In big cities such as İstanbul, Ankara, and others, it is around 2500–3000 Turkish Liras. That makes it about $149.2-180 dollars.
The cost of living is equally expensive compared to the smaller cities.
The dollar value of the initial 2022 minimum wage — 4,250 lira monthly has shrunk to $254 in six months. This is as opposed to the initial $317 at the start of the year before the currency began to decline.
Because of this decline, Turkey will increase its minimum wage by around 30% to a net 5,550 lira ($331.26) per month with immediate effect.
This news came in December 2021, just months after the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced a 50% rise in the minimum wage.
You’ll notice the tension in Turkey’s economy recently. This is a result of the ongoing strife between Russia and Ukraine. Of course, affecting its trade neighbors, but this doesn’t stop Turkey from protecting its residents.
Average salaries of Professionals
Teaching/Education
Teaching is one of the best jobs to get in Turkey. In fact, English teachers can make up to $1,600. On the other hand, one can earn from both private tutoring ($15-20 USD per hour) and teaching English online ($5-$20 USD per hour).
The average salary in the education system in Turkey is $331 (as of Friday, 1st July 2022). Before this change, the salary of a teacher at a school was $317, and the headmaster earned $608.
A kindergarten teacher in Turkey can earn as much as $217, while the headmaster receives $543. In the tertiary colleges in Turkey, salaries are 15 – 20% higher. A university teacher receives about $521 and a university rector receives $1,781. The average salary of a college or technical school teacher is $461 while that of a director is $1,130.
Department of Justice
In the Department of Justice, Turkey, the average salary for state administrators, court officials, and the notary is about $1 304.
Judges’ salaries are approximately $2,607. The income of a private notary is $1,304, and that of a state notary is about $1,304. On the other hand, a lawyer earns about $504.
Health Care
Medical professionals are some of the highest salary earners in Turkey.
The salary in the field of medicine in Turkey is $543. This depends also on specialty and department.
The earnings of a general practitioner in a Turkish hospital is $1,151. A surgeon’s earnings are $782 while a nurse in a Turkish hospital receives $413. The Medical Officer/Chief Physician earns about the highest at $1,151.
Law Enforcement Officers
Law enforcement agencies are also compensated moderately.
The security ministries in Turkey include law enforcement agencies, the military, and bailiffs. Their earnings are dependent, as a rule, on their rank and position. The average earning of security forces in Turkey is $478.
The salary of a high-ranking officer like a Colonel is approximately $1,151. That of a Major is $782 and that of a Lieutenant or a Warrant officer is $456. Other enlisted personnel earns $348.
Construction Industry
The average salary in construction in Turkey is about $456. Because of the risk involved, a civil engineer earns about $804.
The average salary of a house painter is about $369. On the other hand, a foreman earns $608 while a crane operator earns $435.
Finally, a construction worker earns $348.
Office Employees
The monthly average salary of office employees in various fields of activity in Turkey is $461 dollars.
A sales manager in Turkey receives $478. An office manager received $456 while an accountant earns $435.
Transportation
The average earning of a transport worker in Turkey is $304. The salary of a driver is $348 while the income of a taxi driver in Turkey is about $608 per month. A car mechanic on the other hand earns about $326.
Utilities Sector
The average salary of housing and communal services workers in Turkey is about $217.
While most of these jobs require special skills, most of the prices have a range.
The salary of a plumber is $217. That of an in-house electrician is $282, and the average earning of a street sweeper is about $196.
Trading
The monthly salary of store employees in Turkey is $304.
The cashier employed by the company is paid about $282, while the store manager is usually paid about $413.
Information Technology (IT)
With the rise of IT and the interest in tech services, IT in Turkey is a booming market.
The average salary in the field of information technology in Turkey is $608.
A computer programmer gets about $673, a system administrator is paid $500 while a web developer earns $565.
What’s our Take?
With a lot of career alternatives, Turkey has a wide range of options for any job seeker. Thus, your average salary in Turkey will be determined by the opportunities you get.
If you’re looking for a way to make money in Turkey, I hope this article gives you an idea of what to expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Would your educational qualification help you get a good job in Turkey?
In almost every sector, workers with a certificate or diploma earn 17% more on average. This is way beyond what their counterparts with only a high school level certificate earn.
A Bachelor’s Degree certificate would earn holders 24% more than those with a high school certificate or diploma.
Professionals who obtained a Master’s Degree are awarded salaries that are 29% more than those with a Bachelor’s Degree.
Finally, doctorate degree holders earn 23% more than Master’s Degree holders on average while doing the same job.
What’s the basic salary in Turkey?
A person working in Turkey typically earns around 7,830 TRY per month. Salaries are about $118 (lowest average) to $2,087 (highest average, the actual maximum salary is higher).
However, the new policy introducing an increase in the minimum wage might affect these figures.
This figure, which is about $467 covers the cost of livelihood for the month — including transportation, housing, feeding, and utilities.
How much does Turkey pay per hour?
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Turkey is 31 TRY.
This means that the average person in Turkey earns approximately $2 for every worked hour.
What jobs are Turkey known for?
Some of the jobs that can guarantee a job in turkey include
- Judges (Law related degree)
- Lawyers (Law related degree)
- Surgeons( Medical related degree)
- Bank Managers (Accounting and Business administration degree)
- Chief Executive Officers (Business administration-related degrees)
Which jobs are in demand in Turkey?
As the country continues building links with English-speaking economies, TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) educators are in high demand in all parts of Turkey.
Demand is particularly high in major cities including Ankara, Istanbul, and İzmir for students of all ages.
What’s the cost of living in Turkey?
A family of four on an estimated monthly cost will use about 1,305$ (21,632TL) without rent.
An unmarried person will spend an estimated monthly cost of 373$ (6,188TL) without rent.
The figures show that the cost of living in Turkey is 58.08% approximately lower than in the United States.
And the cost of housing in Turkey is, on average, 86.23% lower than in the United States.
