Uploaded April 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Turkey versus Greece. Which is the best country if you want to travel, move, work, invest, start a business or retire?
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01:08 Intro
-Turkey and Greece are among the top tourist destinations in the world.
-They both offer beautiful landscapes and one of the best climates in Europe.
-Turkey and Greece also have a lower than average cost of living than most countries in Europe.
-Let’s compare them in terms of: job market, cost of living, real estate, visas and residence permits, taxes, weather and climate, entertainment, language.
-Southeastern Europe/Asia - Mediterranean Sea
-Turkey is a much larger country, both in terms of population and area
-Greece is an EU member and uses the euro currency. Turkish uses the lira (TRL)
-Both rely heavily in the tourism industry.
01:58 Job Market
-Currently both Turkey and Greece have a high unemployment rate (above 10%)
-Salaries in Turkey are about half of what they are in Greece, but it is harder to find a job in Greece.
-Turkey can be a good idea if you want to start a business which requires a lot of staff, since it is affordable.
-Greece is in a pretty difficult situation both in terms of finding a job, as well as creating a positive environment to attract foreign investors that would generate jobs.
03:03 Cost of Living
-Both countries are significantly more affordable than Western Europe and US.
-Greece is much more expensive than Turkey. In Turkey usually products and services are half of the price of Greece. Istanbul vs Athens, other cities in Turkey vs other cities in Greece.
-Greece uses the euro, so its economy is in a much more stable position than Turkey.
-The turkish government is being unable to control the inflation
04:19 Real Estate
-Prices per square meter in Greece are significantly higher than in Turkey. But Athens is still one of the most affordable European capitals to buy real estate.
-In both countries you can get a residence permit if you invest in real estate, however, the requirements are much higher in Greece.
-In Greece the minimum required amount is an investment of 250k euros to get a residence permit. In Turkey there is no minimum.
-Rental yields are around 3-5% in cities in both countries. In Turkey you will receive your payments in lira, which is a disadvantage.
05:30 Visa and Residence Permits
-It is much harder to get a visa and a residence permit to live in Greece than in Turkey.
-Since Greece is in the EU and in the Schengen area, the entry bar is much higher.
-Greece is still more flexible than countries in the Western Europe to acquire a a residence permit, there are categories for: self-employed persons, entrepreneurs, real estate owners, and financially independent persons.
-Turkey has one of the most flexible visa policies in the world.
06:52 Taxes
-Both countries are comparable, progressive tax rates (Greece has a slightly rates) both at personal and corporate level
-Corporate taxes are also quite similar, above 20%
-Capital gains are slight lower in Greece, but for stock investments it is 0% (less than 0.5% company equity)
-7% tax on foreign pensions in Greece, 0 in Turkey. Great places to retire.
07:52 Weather and Climate
-The weather and climate are similar in Greece and Turkey in the coastal areas.
-Both countries have a Mediterranean climate on these areas, one of the best in Europe.
-Turkey has a much larger continental area, with different climate zones in the country.
-You should definitely avoid Turkey's more continental areas, as the climate can pretty cold and / or arid.
08:32 Infrastructure
-Infrastructure in Turkey and Greece are similar, especially in larger cities.
-Greece benefited from EU funds to develop and improve its infrastructure.
-Even if Turkey is outside of the EU, it has a good infrastructure with good roads, a vast railway network.
-The recently opened Istanbul airport is one of the best and busiest in the world. Certainly an Advantage to Turkey
09:29 Language and final considerations
-But languages are difficult to learn, but for different reasons.
-While Greek is an Indo-European language, which makes it easier to learn for English speakers, Turkish isn’t an Indo-European language.
-Greek however has its own alphabet, which adds a layer of difficulty to it. Turkish on the other hand, uses Latin script.
-In my opinion it is easier to find Greeks with a better command of English than Turks, especially outside the capital cities.
Turkey versus Greece. Which is the best country if you want to travel, move, work, invest, start a business or retire?
😊 Best Travel Resources & Personal Consulting
https://linktr.ee/tomblakefinance
-----
💵 Join The Wealthy Traveler (FREE Guides!)
wealthytraveler.beehiiv.com/subscribe
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💸 Find Remote Work & Gigs
flexjobs.sjv.io/jrQQ1M
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💻 Top Laptop Side Hustles
thebudgetdiet.com/make-money-with-a-laptop
-----
01:08 Intro
-Turkey and Greece are among the top tourist destinations in the world.
-They both offer beautiful landscapes and one of the best climates in Europe.
-Turkey and Greece also have a lower than average cost of living than most countries in Europe.
-Let’s compare them in terms of: job market, cost of living, real estate, visas and residence permits, taxes, weather and climate, entertainment, language.
-Southeastern Europe/Asia - Mediterranean Sea
-Turkey is a much larger country, both in terms of population and area
-Greece is an EU member and uses the euro currency. Turkish uses the lira (TRL)
-Both rely heavily in the tourism industry.
01:58 Job Market
-Currently both Turkey and Greece have a high unemployment rate (above 10%)
-Salaries in Turkey are about half of what they are in Greece, but it is harder to find a job in Greece.
-Turkey can be a good idea if you want to start a business which requires a lot of staff, since it is affordable.
-Greece is in a pretty difficult situation both in terms of finding a job, as well as creating a positive environment to attract foreign investors that would generate jobs.
03:03 Cost of Living
-Both countries are significantly more affordable than Western Europe and US.
-Greece is much more expensive than Turkey. In Turkey usually products and services are half of the price of Greece. Istanbul vs Athens, other cities in Turkey vs other cities in Greece.
-Greece uses the euro, so its economy is in a much more stable position than Turkey.
-The turkish government is being unable to control the inflation
04:19 Real Estate
-Prices per square meter in Greece are significantly higher than in Turkey. But Athens is still one of the most affordable European capitals to buy real estate.
-In both countries you can get a residence permit if you invest in real estate, however, the requirements are much higher in Greece.
-In Greece the minimum required amount is an investment of 250k euros to get a residence permit. In Turkey there is no minimum.
-Rental yields are around 3-5% in cities in both countries. In Turkey you will receive your payments in lira, which is a disadvantage.
05:30 Visa and Residence Permits
-It is much harder to get a visa and a residence permit to live in Greece than in Turkey.
-Since Greece is in the EU and in the Schengen area, the entry bar is much higher.
-Greece is still more flexible than countries in the Western Europe to acquire a a residence permit, there are categories for: self-employed persons, entrepreneurs, real estate owners, and financially independent persons.
-Turkey has one of the most flexible visa policies in the world.
06:52 Taxes
-Both countries are comparable, progressive tax rates (Greece has a slightly rates) both at personal and corporate level
-Corporate taxes are also quite similar, above 20%
-Capital gains are slight lower in Greece, but for stock investments it is 0% (less than 0.5% company equity)
-7% tax on foreign pensions in Greece, 0 in Turkey. Great places to retire.
07:52 Weather and Climate
-The weather and climate are similar in Greece and Turkey in the coastal areas.
-Both countries have a Mediterranean climate on these areas, one of the best in Europe.
-Turkey has a much larger continental area, with different climate zones in the country.
-You should definitely avoid Turkey's more continental areas, as the climate can pretty cold and / or arid.
08:32 Infrastructure
-Infrastructure in Turkey and Greece are similar, especially in larger cities.
-Greece benefited from EU funds to develop and improve its infrastructure.
-Even if Turkey is outside of the EU, it has a good infrastructure with good roads, a vast railway network.
-The recently opened Istanbul airport is one of the best and busiest in the world. Certainly an Advantage to Turkey
09:29 Language and final considerations
-But languages are difficult to learn, but for different reasons.
-While Greek is an Indo-European language, which makes it easier to learn for English speakers, Turkish isn’t an Indo-European language.
-Greek however has its own alphabet, which adds a layer of difficulty to it. Turkish on the other hand, uses Latin script.
-In my opinion it is easier to find Greeks with a better command of English than Turks, especially outside the capital cities.
