Istanbul most affordable place to relocate in world: UK-based study
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, one of Istanbul's main tourist attractions, towers over the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, July 11, 2020. (AP File Photo)


Turkey’s largest city Istanbul has been chosen as the most affordable city in the world to relocate to, according to a study by a U.K.-based credit broker.

The research conducted by money.co.uk took into consideration factors like house prices, living costs and average salary to determine the most affordable places to relocate.

With an annual living cost of 12,753 British pounds (TL 231,271), Istanbul became the most affordable place to relocate, 15,963 British pounds less than the average.

Istanbul was followed by Buenos Aires in Argentina, where the annual cost of living is 13,802 British pounds, and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia claimed third place with an annual living cost of 15,240 British pounds.

Meanwhile, the city of Basel in Switzerland is the most expensive city to relocate to, with a $72,118 annual cost of living, according to the study.

The city of Doha in Qatar is the top relocation destination along the shoreline, according to the study, which noted that the city’s water temperatures are 24.83 degrees Celcius (76.69 degrees Fahrenheit) on average and it offers high wages, with the average being around $54,683.

The best city to relocate is Austin, with its third-best internet speed of 87.5 Mbps and average temperature of 20.4 degrees Celcius.

Istanbul was also ranked as the second most affordable city break destination in the world in new research from travel expert Bounce.

However, the city is the most expensive city in Turkey in terms of housing and with rising inflation and consumer prices.