The rituals and materials may be free, but dying is still a costly affair in Istanbul, Türkiye’s most populated city. The municipality announced a new rise in the prices for burial plots on the European and Asian sides of the city recently, in the same session of the municipality’s assembly that also decided on a 60% rise in fees for parking lots.

Cemeteries in the city are divided into four groups, based on their locations and popularity, two factors that often overlap with each other. Starting from Jan. 1, 2023, the prospective dead will have to pay $2,428 (TL 45,260) to purchase the most expensive burial plot. The fee for the cheapest burial plot was decided as TL 2,900. Finding a proper place may be expensive but Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) assured that other services including ritual washing under Islamic rules, wooden coffins, coffin covers, burials and transportation of the deceased to other cities for burial will remain free. On the other hand, the city will charge the next of kin of the deceased if they seek to modify the burial plot or move it.

Turks have a slightly derogatory saying for those living off others "who would get buried if he/she finds a free grave." In ever-growing Istanbul, this is unfortunately only true for cemeteries housing unclaimed bodies. At cemeteries in the "first group," namely Karacaahmet, Nakkaştepe and Çengelköy on the Asian side and Zincirlikuyu, Aşiyan and Ulus on the European side, the lowest price for burial plots was increased to TL 7,260 from TL 6,600. Those seeking a burial plot next to their loved ones who predeceased them will have to shell out TL 22,630. The average price of empty plots now stands at TL 45,260. Karacaahmet, one of the oldest in the city, and Zincirlikuyu, a cemetery at the heart of Istanbul’s commercial hub Levent, are among the most popular cemeteries. Both are the final destinations of prominent figures, from singers to politicians. For cemeteries in the "second group," including Emirgan, Edirnekapı and Bülbülderesi, burial plots start from TL 1,320 and the most expensive stands at TL 18,150. In the city’s far-flung suburbs, burial plots only cost TL 2,900.

The municipality, which is ruled by the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), drew criticism for a string of price rises this and last year, from hikes in mass transportation to water prices. But hikes will likely continue into 2023 as IBB cites rising maintenance costs as justification.

Also last week, it decided to raise fees for parking lots operated by IBB’s company ISPARK by 60%. The municipality sought a 100% rise but the assembly, composed of different political parties, agreed upon 60%. Under a new decision that will come into force on Jan. 1, 2023, motorists will have to pay TL 28 for one-hour parking, instead of TL 17.50 to park their vehicles in multistory and open-air parking lots in the districts of Beşiktaş, Beyoğlu, Fatih, Kadıköy, Şişli, Üsküdar, Ataşehir, Bakırköy, Beykoz, Bayrampaşa, Bahçelievler, Eyüpsultan, Güngören, Kartal, Kağıthane, Maltepe, Pendik, Sarıyer, Zeytinburnu, Tuzla and Ümraniye. In the same districts, drivers will be charged TL 28 for parking their vehicles on the lanes designated as parking spaces on major roads and streets. Parking fees have been increased to TL 20 from TL 12.50 for one hour in the districts of Adalar, Arnavutköy, Avcılar, Bağcılar, Başakşehir, Beylikdüzü, Büyükçekmece, Çatalca, Çekmeköy, Esenler, Esenyurt, Gaziosmanpaşa, Küçükçekmece, Sancaktepe, Silivri, Sultangazi, Sultanbeyli and Şile.