For students, companies and professionals, all over the world.
Remoters puts you in touch with a home finder living there, who speaks your language, searches to your criteria, views on your behalf and stays with you through to the signed lease.
They know the neighbourhoods, the rents and how the local market works, and they speak your language.
Listings, agencies, local network: they shortlist to your criteria and view properties on your behalf.
They present your application to the landlord and negotiate the lease terms for you.
Verified home, lease reviewed, secure payment: you sign knowing exactly what you are getting.
Six missions, from the first brief to key handover.
Real budget, viable neighbourhoods, size, life constraints. The brief is written before the first listing — that's what saves three months of pointless viewings.
Portals, local agencies, private landlords: your home finder checks every new listing daily and contacts agencies on your behalf, so nothing slips through.
Filmed viewings, an honest report, walks through the neighbourhood at different hours. You no longer need to travel: your home finder does it all for you remotely.
Local rent levels, service charges, the state of the property, lease length. Concrete arguments to negotiate the terms — on your side, this time.
Locally required documents, guarantor, translation, review of the lease and the inventory. This is where foreign applications most often fall apart.
Inventory, key handover, utilities set-up, first admin steps. Your home finder doesn't disappear once the contract is signed: they remain a valuable contact for any questions about life on the ground.
No scams, verified homes, secure payment.
A home found in a few weeks.
Guided by a local home finder, in your language.
Everything handled remotely, stress-free.
Four steps, from your request to the signed lease.
You start by filling in a short questionnaire to tell us a bit more about your search.
One of our home finders then takes over and contacts you for a free first conversation. The goal? Understanding exactly what you need.
If it clicks and you want to move forward, you receive a tailored quote. Once approved, the search begins!
Your home finder searches for you, shares their finds, stays with you through to signing the lease — all that’s left is packing your bags.
Join a community of happy clients.
Istanbul in brief: A vast, vibrant city on two continents with a highly active long-term rental market. Average rents citywide reached approximately 27,000 TRY/month as of February 2025 (Endeksa). For expats earning in hard currencies, central one-bedroom apartments range from around 400 USD/month in more affordable districts to 1,500 USD/month or more in premium areas like Beşiktaş or Nişantaşı. Key steps for foreign tenants: verify your chosen neighbourhood is open to residence permit applications, obtain a Turkish tax number, sign a written lease, and budget for upfront costs of three to four times the monthly rent. Top expat neighbourhoods: Beşiktaş, Kadıköy, Beyoğlu, and Şişli.
Istanbul is a city of extraordinary contrasts: a metropolis of over 15 million inhabitants straddling two continents, where Byzantine history, Ottoman heritage, and a vibrant modern culture coexist. For expatriates, the city offers a quality of life that is difficult to match at a comparable cost in Western Europe.
The city's transport network — including the Metrobüs, metro lines, ferries crossing the Bosphorus, and the Marmaray rail tunnel — connects its sprawling districts efficiently. Neighbourhoods like Kadıköy on the Asian side and Beşiktaş on the European side are consistently ranked among the most livable urban areas in Turkey, offering a dense mix of cafés, markets, cultural venues, and green spaces.
Istanbul's food scene is world-renowned, from the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar to neighbourhood meyhane restaurants and modern dining. The city also hosts a large and well-established expat community, with active social networks, international schools, and multilingual services that ease the transition for newcomers.
Istanbul also offers fast internet infrastructure, a growing number of co-working spaces, and a time zone (UTC+3) that overlaps conveniently with both European and Middle Eastern business hours. The combination of cultural richness, urban energy, and relatively accessible long-term rental costs makes Istanbul a compelling destination for extended stays.
Day-to-day life in Istanbul as a long-term tenant is shaped by the city's scale and its neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood character. Most residents rely on the extensive public transport network — including the metro, Metrobüs, tram, and Bosphorus ferries — to navigate between districts. The İstanbulkart contactless travel card covers all public transport modes and is essential for daily commuting.
Grocery shopping is easy and affordable: local pazar (open-air markets) operate in most neighbourhoods on a weekly basis, offering fresh produce at low prices. Major supermarket chains such as Migros, CarrefourSA, and BİM are present throughout the city.
Utility bills (electricity, water, natural gas) are typically paid separately by the tenant and are not included in the rent unless explicitly stated in the lease. Internet connectivity is generally fast and reliable in central districts, with multiple providers offering fibre packages.
Healthcare is accessible through both the public system (with a residence permit and SGK registration) and a wide network of private hospitals and clinics. Districts like Şişli and Beşiktaş have a high concentration of international-standard private medical facilities.
For families, Istanbul offers a range of international schools — including French, German, British, and American curriculum schools — concentrated mainly on the European side. Registration processes and waiting lists can be long, so early planning is advisable.
Istanbul's long-term rental market is one of the most dynamic in the region, shaped by strong domestic demand, a large student and young professional population, and a growing international community. According to the Istanbul Planning Agency (IPA), the average monthly rent in the city reached approximately 25,000 TRY/month by the end of 2024, rising further to around 27,000 TRY/month as of February 2025 according to Endeksa, a real estate data platform.
The market has experienced significant nominal rent growth over recent years, driven by high inflation and sustained housing demand. Despite this, Istanbul remains comparatively affordable for expatriates earning in hard currencies such as USD or EUR, given the ongoing depreciation of the Turkish lira.
Vacancy rates are particularly low in central districts: premium locations such as Beşiktaş and Şişli maintain occupancy rates above 97% year-round, driven by corporate housing demand and expatriate families (source: Investropa, June 2025). Studio and one-bedroom apartments experience the lowest vacancy rates, at 2–3% annually, due to consistent demand from young professionals, students, and expatriates.
The rental market is split between the European side — home to major business districts like Levent and Maslak, as well as cultural hubs like Beyoğlu and Beşiktaş — and the Asian side, where Kadıköy and Üsküdar attract tenants seeking a quieter, more residential atmosphere. Long-term leases are typically signed for one year, with annual renewal and rent adjustment clauses governed by Turkish tenancy law.
Istanbul's neighbourhoods each offer a distinct atmosphere and rental market. Here is an overview of the most popular districts for long-term tenants:
Istanbul's long-term rental market offers a broad spectrum of budgets. The city-wide average monthly rent stood at approximately 27,000 TRY/month as of February 2025, according to the real estate data platform Endeksa. For international tenants earning in USD or EUR, this represents a relatively accessible market compared to major Western European capitals.
A realistic monthly rental budget for a comfortable one-bedroom apartment in a well-connected central neighbourhood ranges from 500 USD/month in areas like Kadıköy or Beyoğlu, up to 1,500 USD/month or more in upscale districts such as Beşiktaş or Nişantaşı. Tenants should plan for additional upfront costs, including a security deposit (typically one to three months' rent) and a real estate agent commission of around one month's rent, meaning initial outlays can reach three to four times the monthly rent before moving in (source: IstaProperty, 2025).
Rental budgets in Istanbul vary significantly depending on the district, apartment size, and whether the unit is furnished. According to data from the real estate platform Endeksa, the average monthly rent in Istanbul reached approximately 27,000 TRY/month as of February 2025, with rents per square metre around 270 TRY (source: Endeksa, February 2025). For expatriates earning in hard currencies, this translates to a wide range in USD or EUR terms due to ongoing currency fluctuations.
In premium central districts such as Beşiktaş and Şişli, a furnished one-bedroom apartment typically rents for between 800 USD/month and 1,500 USD/month. In mid-range areas like Beyoğlu and Kadıköy, comparable units are available from 500 USD/month to 1,000 USD/month. More affordable options can be found in districts such as Üsküdar or Fatih, where rents for a one-bedroom apartment may start from around 400 USD/month (source: Numbeo, 2025; GlobalCostData, 2025).
When budgeting for a long-term rental in Istanbul, tenants should also account for upfront costs: landlords typically require a security deposit of one to three months' rent, and real estate agent fees (emlakçı komisyonu) are generally equivalent to one month's rent, bringing initial move-in costs to roughly three to four times the monthly rent (source: IstaProperty, 2025).
Renting an apartment in Istanbul as a foreigner comes with specific pitfalls to avoid:
Finding a long-term rental in Istanbul as an expatriate or international tenant can be a complex process: navigating Turkish-language listings, identifying neighbourhoods open to residence permit applications, verifying landlord credentials, and negotiating lease terms all require local knowledge and experience.
Remoters connects international tenants with vetted local rental search specialists who know Istanbul's neighbourhoods, understand the legal requirements for foreign tenants, and can guide you through every step — from shortlisting properties to signing a compliant lease agreement. Whether you are relocating to Beşiktaş, Kadıköy, Beyoğlu, or any other district, a Remoters specialist can help you avoid common pitfalls and find the right home for your long-term stay in Istanbul.
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On the European side, Beşiktaş, Şişli and Nişantaşı or Beyoğlu and Cihangir; on the Asian side, Kadıköy and Moda: these are the areas expats favour most. Beşiktaş, lively and close to the Bosphorus, averages around 51,000 TL a month; Şişli and Nişantaşı suit families.
Further north, Sarıyer and İstinye are green, at around 60,000 TL. On the Asian side, the Caddebostan waterfront is close to 64,000 TL, and Üsküdar, quiet and traditional, is more affordable.
Around 27,000 TL a month on average in February 2025 according to Endeksa, with wide gaps between neighbourhoods. A one-bedroom flat in the centre rents for 25,000 to 45,000 TL, a studio outside the centre for 15,000 to 25,000 TL, and a furnished two- or three-bedroom flat in expat areas for 40,000 to 80,000 TL.
Aidat, energy and water come on top of the rent. When you move in, allow a deposit of one to three months' rent and, if you use a letting agent (emlak), about one month's rent in commission.
Because it has been compulsory since 15 February 2022: any lease signed by a foreigner must be notarised with both landlord and tenant present, or it will not be accepted for your residence permit (ikamet).
The contract is written in Turkish, for at least one year, and renews automatically. Read the rent increase clause: since July 2024, annual increases follow the consumer price index, which reached 58.51% in January 2025. The deposit is capped at three months' rent.
The first: paying to "reserve" a home. It is the most common scam in Istanbul; pay nothing before you have viewed the property and signed the contract. Sahibinden.com and Emlakjet also carry fraudulent listings.
Before signing, ask the owner for the title deed (TAPU) and the DASK earthquake insurance certificate, which you will need for your residence permit. Your home finder views the flat for you and makes sure these documents are handed over.
A rental search in Istanbul usually costs between €400 and €600: the range we have seen across the searches carried out in Istanbul since February 2025. The exact price depends on your search; your home finder sets it in a written quote, free and with no commitment.
You pay online through the platform, never directly to the home finder. The security deposit and local fees (agency, check-in inventory) are not included.
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