Author: Luxury Estate Turkey
Viewed 56 times
19 June 2025
Buying a home by the sea is just the first step towards your new life. What comes next is daily life in Alanya after purchasing property, including exciting changes and the need to resolve practical matters. This relocation guide explains in detail how to live in Alanya as a foreigner, both comfortably and legally.
Your first task after finalizing the deal is to organize your physical move and set up your new home. How well you handle this stage will determine how smooth your first weeks and months in Turkey will be. The main decision to make is whether to bring your furniture and belongings from abroad or buy everything locally.
If your new apartment in Alanya is unfurnished, you’ll need to decide how to furnish it. Most buyers prefer to purchase furniture and household appliances in Turkey since the local market offers a wide range of options for any budget. Well-known Turkish brands such as Istikbal, Bellona, and Enza Home have showrooms in Alanya. Many also choose to make a trip to the IKEA megastore in nearby Antalya for complete furnishing solutions. Turkish furniture is known for its quality, and the prices are often better than imported options—especially considering you won’t need to pay for international shipping.
However, if you have favorite furniture pieces or personal items you don’t want to leave behind, you can use international shipping services to bring your belongings to Turkey. These companies help you pack and send your items via container or cargo transport. A key stage will be customs clearance, which requires a detailed inventory and, in some cases, permission from the Turkish consulate. Keep in mind that duty-free limits apply—exceeding them means paying import taxes.
Even if you purchase furniture locally, choosing, delivering, and assembling it takes time. If you’re expecting a container from abroad, the wait may stretch over several weeks. To make this transition comfortable, it’s wise to rent a fully furnished apartment or book a hotel room temporarily.
Right after receiving your title deed (Tapu), you can clean the apartment yourself or hire a cleaning service. Then check and connect all utilities: ensure electricity and water are on and registered in your name (details on utility setup in the next section). If the previous owner disconnected the services, submit applications for new connections as soon as possible to avoid being left without power or water.
Once utilities are connected and basic furnishings are in place, you can proceed with the move. Transport your remaining personal items—suitcases, boxes—from temporary housing to your new home. During your first days, introduce yourself to the site manager (if you live in a residence) or neighbors, and learn how the house systems work—such as trash disposal, meter locations, and building access keys.
Once you’ve received the Tapu, the next step is connecting utilities. This is a standardized process requiring your title deed, earthquake insurance (DASK), a copy of your passport, and your Turkish tax number (Vergi Numarası).
Electricity and water services in Alanya are provided by the regional companies CK Akdeniz Elektrik (electricity) and ASAT (water). After buying your apartment or villa, you must transfer the electricity and water meters to your name.
To sign a contract, you’ll need: your ID (passport and/or residence card), a copy of the Tapu, the DASK policy, your Turkish tax number, and the meter numbers. If the property is brand-new, you might also need the property’s occupancy permit (iskan), confirming it is approved for residential use.
Utility bills are paid monthly. You can pay in cash without commission at PTT (post office) branches or directly at utility company offices, or you can set up automatic payments through a Turkish bank account. Electricity in Turkey is billed progressively: there’s a base rate for monthly kilowatt consumption, and a higher rate applies when usage exceeds that threshold. Some regions also offer lower night-time rates. Water is relatively affordable in Alanya and billed based on consumption; most households pay a modest monthly amount.
On the Mediterranean coast, including Alanya, there is usually no centralized gas pipeline. Instead, residents use bottled gas (tüp) for household needs. Bottled gas is typically used for stoves and, in some cases, for water heaters.
Gas delivery is well-established—within an hour of ordering, a new bottle will be delivered to your home. A standard 12 kg bottle is reasonably priced and usually lasts 2–3 months with average kitchen use.
The main broadband internet providers in Turkey are Türk Telekom (TTNET) and Superonline (Turkcell). Many residential complexes are already equipped with fiber-optic lines.
To connect internet service, visit a provider’s office or submit a request via phone or online. A technician will come to install the router and activate service—usually within a few days. Internet plans in Turkey are reasonably priced and vary according to speed and data volume. Promotions for new customers are common. Bills arrive monthly via email or paper, and payment can be made online or by card.
The three major mobile operators in Turkey are Turkcell, Vodafone, and Türk Telekom. Upon arrival, you can easily buy a prepaid SIM card with your passport. However, phones purchased outside Turkey will be locked after 120 days of use with a Turkish SIM unless registered officially, which requires payment of a government fee.
Turkey has a mandatory address registration system similar to residence registration. Foreigners register their address through the immigration office (Göç İdaresi) during their residence permit application.
If you change addresses within Turkey or apply for your first residence permit, you have 20 days to notify the authorities. The immigration office will record your new address as listed in your application documents.
Buying property entitles foreigners to apply for a residence permit in Turkey—usually a short-term permit based on property ownership. This allows you to reside in the country long-term and leave or return as needed. Learn more about obtaining residence permit in Turkey here.
Once you receive your residence card, you can open a bank account in Turkey. With a local account and debit card, you can pay bills online, receive rental income (if you decide to rent out your property), and handle daily financial matters.
You may also purchase a vehicle in Turkey under your name. After eight years of residence, you can apply for a long-term residence permit or even Turkish citizenship, provided specific conditions are met.
Once you’ve handled logistics, the most enjoyable part begins—settling into everyday life. Alanya offers a well-developed and comfortable living environment that’s easy to adapt to.
Alanya’s food infrastructure can meet all needs—from daily groceries to gourmet specialties. For weekly bulk shopping, large hypermarkets like Metro and 5M Migros offer a wide selection of Turkish and imported goods. For everyday items, all neighborhoods have supermarkets like Migros (from small Jet to standard MM stores), CarrefourSA, and discount chains Bim, A101, and Şok.
For a real taste of local life, visit the weekly farmers’ markets (pazar), held in a different neighborhood each day. Here you’ll find seasonal fruits and vegetables, homemade cheeses, olives, spices, and sweets directly from producers.
There are also local bakeries (fırın) with fresh bread, butcher shops (kasap), and greengrocers. If you're short on time, use grocery delivery apps like Getir, Yemeksepeti Market, or Migros Hemen to have items delivered to your door.
Tap water in Alanya is technically safe, but many residents prefer bottled water. You can install a water dispenser at home and order 19-liter bottles, or install a filtration system.
Alanya’s public transport system is efficient and easy to navigate. It consists mainly of municipal buses (belediye otobüsü) and private minibuses (dolmuş), which run from early morning to midnight. Stops marked with a blue "D" (Durak) are frequent, and buses on main routes run every 5–10 minutes. To get off at your stop, press the red button on the handrail in advance.
The most convenient way to pay is with a rechargeable Kentkart, available and refillable at kiosks.
There are two main public transit routes to remember. Buses No. 1 and 101 travel along Atatürk Boulevard, connecting the city’s western neighborhoods, Cleopatra Beach, the center, and eastern areas including Mahmutlar. Routes No. 2 and 202 run along the 25 Metrelik Yol avenue, passing Alanyum shopping mall and major government offices like hospitals and the Land Registry.
Alanya’s healthcare system meets high international standards, offering quality services in both public and private clinics. Most foreigners prefer private hospitals. Leading institutions such as Anadolu Hastanesi, Başkent University Alanya Hospital, and Alanya Yaşam Hastanesi provide state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatment, as well as English-speaking staff.
In the Oba region, you’ll find the large public university research hospital Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University Training and Research Hospital, which also provides excellent medical care.
Access to medical services requires foreigner health insurance (Yabancı Sağlık Sigortası), which is mandatory for obtaining a residence permit. This policy covers a percentage of medical expenses (e.g., 40–60% outpatient and up to 100% inpatient care) and is valid only in clinics that partner with your insurer (anlaşmalı kurumlar). That’s why it’s important to ask for a list of covered hospitals before choosing an insurance provider.
Alanya has a large international community, including citizens from CIS countries and Europeans—Germans, Scandinavians, Brits.
There are various clubs and social media groups such as “Foreigners in Alanya” or “Expats Alanya,” where members share advice and organize events. These include celebrations of holidays like Nowruz or Maslenitsa, charity markets, and art fairs. Some community centers offer Turkish language courses for foreigners—a great way to learn the language and meet neighbors from around the world. There are also schools with instruction in English for foreign children.
Cultural life in Alanya is more relaxed than in major cities but still active. Movie theaters in large malls show films in Turkish and sometimes in English with subtitles. Concerts and festivals take place regularly. In summer, the city organizes free outdoor events—from jazz nights to national holiday celebrations.
Apart from utility bills, the main recurring cost is the monthly maintenance fee (aidat), which covers the upkeep of the residential complex: gardening, pool cleaning, concierge and security wages, cleaning of common areas, and elevator maintenance. The amount is set at the annual homeowners’ meeting (Kat Malikleri Genel Kurulu) and depends on the amenities provided. If the apartment is rented out, the aidat is legally paid by the tenant.
Other regular expenses include the annual property tax (Emlak Vergisi) and mandatory earthquake insurance (DASK).
Our work doesn’t stop at the signing of the contract. Luxury Estate Turkey offers complete after-sales service to help you start enjoying life in Alanya from day one.
We take care of everything—from A to Z. Our team will handle furniture purchases and delivery, utility and internet setup, and insurance arrangements. Need cleaning after renovation or a handyman? One call is all it takes. We provide full support for daily and legal matters and act as your trusted representative and assistant at every step of your adaptation process.
Turkish Citizenship 
YouTube
Instagram 
Facebook 
WhatsApp 
Telegram 
