Experience in Istanbul, Turkey by Eliz

What is it like to live in Istanbul? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

I would definitely recommend living in Istanbul! Why? Because it is one of the most beautiful cities of Europe, it never sleeps and the life is always hectic but entertaining. As a Turkish, I studied in a semi-international high school and 90% of my friends were expats, who also lived in other countries but wouldn't change Istanbul to the world. I remember how they loved the food, the transportation, the neighborhoods, super friendly people, lovely stray animals and many places to visit.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Istanbul?

I do know that there are many communities in Istanbul for expats. And there are many many websites where you can meet with other people who are speaking the same language as you. There are also monthly released magazines which feature loads of information, tips, and recommendations on what to do, where to go, the parties and events, etc. Almost every university which expects international students have amazing expat communities and they provide efficient help and assistance with everything. I also would like to mention that Turkish students are also very helpful and friendly. Most of my friends and the other expats I met with, they have at least 1-2 good Turkish friends whom they never separate from.

How much does it cost to live in Istanbul?

I have been to many countries and cities around Europe and I still do believe that Istanbul is one of the most economical and affordable city to live in, Just like Portugal or Hungary if I should give an example. And as the currency is 1/3 (approx. ) of Euro, Dollar and CHF, and 1/4 of GPB, I can definitely say that it is quite easy to live a good quality life. I don't feel super confident about giving an exact number but 300 Euro for personal expenses (clothing, food, personal care-hairdresser, manicure etc-) is more than enough for an entire month, I live off by 300 euro quite comfortably. However, it also depends how often one goes out for partying, there are many affordable places/neighborhoods to-go-to when it comes to drinking and entertainment, where you can go to 4-5 times a month (if you don't drink ridiculously). When it comes to housing, you can find flats with a wide range of prices. Depending on how central you wanna live, with how many people, etc, I do know that one can find a share-flat starting from 300-320 euro per month. But again, it all depends where, with whom and some luck!

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Istanbul? Is there any advice you can give?

I have heard that the universities provide a website where you can find flats etc if you are coming for the term. There are also some Turkish websites if one prefers. What I also heard that most of the Turkish young-adults prefer to advertise their flats/rooms on typical websites like AirBnb for long-term stays.

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What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

The food is I. N. C. R. E. D. I. B. L. E! I have never ever heard one person who doesn't like Turkish food and the cuisine. Unlike everyone thinks, we don't only have Kebab here. It is definitely true that we love red meat but our desserts are also to die for. "Mantı" is my favourite dish, it's like a typical raviolli but so much better! Also we love large tables of breakfast, Turkish people are equal to breakfast. Eggs, sausages, vegetables, cheese... Speaking of cheese, we also do have very good tasting wines, Turkey is one of the countries which exports millions of bottles of wine around the world just like France does! And ours is more affordable- and not to boast but it's very delicious. And the cheese.. We love cheese and we have super-tasty different cheese types, from all around the country. I don't know... I could write about Turkish food for ages. We also like pastries, like Börek, Gözleme, Katmer... and Simit! I am quite sure almost everyone have heard about Our Simit. Street food is also loved by everyone here! Just yummy.

What places would you recommend visiting in Istanbul?

I am not going to list all of the typical historical places like Hagia Sophia, Taksim etc. I believe that cities are actually all about where the local people go to, so I recommend Beşiktaş, Ortaköy, Karaköy, Kadıköy, İstinye, Etiler, Bebek.. Funny how all of these neighbourhoods are by the sea but Istanbul is all about its Bosphorus!

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Is it good to eat out in Istanbul? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

It is most certainly good to eat out in Istanbul because we basically love food! And also the typical working hours in Turkey are starting from 8 hours so we don't really have time to cook if we are not magicians. I don't want to sound so cliché but the Istanbul is full of shopping malls which have immense food courts! If you can't find anything on the street, I am perfectly sure one would find something to satisfy their appetite. Speaking of street... we have way too many small carts where you can eat Tavuk&Pilav (rice&chicken), Midye (oysters), Kokoreç (just some kind of a wrap with meat) and many more. If you don't feel like being on the street or at a shopping mall, I also want to highlight that we have one of the best system of ordering food to home. There is website called "yemeksepeti" which literally means "foodcart" where you can find restaurants from all around the city, literally every kind of food; Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Italian etc. and you can now even order 19L bottle of water (damacana) to your house without having to carry it (yeap, you got it right, the tap water is not drinkable here! )

Is the nightlife good in Istanbul? Where is good to go?

The nightlife is definitely good! And you don't even have to have a fortune to party here. Beşiktaş, Ortaköy, Asmalımescit, Pera, Kadıköy, Karaköy, Cihangir are couple of the streets/neighborhoods where you can literally spend your entire night at, starting from a chill bistro/restaurant, continuing to a pub/predrinking place, then to a club and then back to a chill postparty place. If one is into high-end clubbing, we have many well-known clubs such as Reina, Sortie, Angelique etc with the entrance fee of 100 TL or more. It is not so cheap for a student maybe yes, but everyone says one should at least go there once during their 6 months term. Why not?

What advice would you give future students heading to Istanbul?

Don't worry about the political issues and problems that are happening in Turkey. Istanbul is one of the strongest cities, yes it does have its cons; there are couple of neighbourhoods where I myself avoid going to because of the difference of people's background and their vision, customs etc, and it sometimes does get dangerous when a big crisis happens in the country because.. well.. it's Istanbul and there are too many people/young adults who are not in the same state of mind as the government is. But well, Istanbul is definitely not like the rest of the country. Whoever comes here, never wants to leave. All of my friends who had to leave the country for education purposes or because of their families' new jobs, they all want to come back, and they definitely do come back even if it's for only a week or a long weekend.