Buy-to-Let Property in Turkey

Buying a property in Turkey to rent it out has moved from a niche idea to a mainstream investment strategy. With millions of tourists arriving every year, a growing expat population, and a maturing rental market, well-selected buy-to-let property in Turkey can deliver strong income and long-term capital protection.

This guide explains how buy-to-let works in Turkey, the role of platforms like Airbnb, what kind of rental yields you can realistically expect (often 5–10% gross in the right locations), how inflation-linked rent increases protect your income through Turkey’s TEFE–TÜFE indices, and how our Property Management in Turkey service handles the complete management side for you.

Why Buy-to-Let in Turkey Right Now?

Turkey combines several factors that make it attractive for rental investors:

• High tourism numbers: Every year, tens of millions of tourists arrive in destinations like Antalya, Alanya, Belek, Istanbul, Bodrum, and Fethiye. This creates very strong demand for short-term rentals, especially modern apartments and villas close to the beach or city center.
• Growing expat and student communities: International buyers, long-stay digital nomads, and university students create additional demand for mid-term and long-term rentals.
• Affordable entry prices versus many European markets: Compared with several EU countries, purchase prices in Turkey remain competitive, which improves gross yield potential.
• Inflation-adjusted rents: In long-term contracts, rents are typically updated every year based on Turkish inflation indices (TEFE–TÜFE), which helps protect your rental income in real terms.

For investors who structure the purchase and management correctly, Turkey offers a rare combination of strong income today and built-in inflation protection for the future.

Short-Term Airbnb vs Long-Term Rentals

Most buy-to-let investors in Turkey choose between three broad strategies: short-term holiday rentals, long-term residential rentals, or a hybrid of both.

Short-Term Holiday Rentals (Airbnb and Booking)

Short-term rentals target tourists and business travellers staying from a few nights up to a few weeks. They work extremely well in coastal destinations and central urban districts with strong tourism, such as Antalya, Alanya, Belek, Bodrum, and key neighbourhoods in Istanbul.

Because of high nightly rates and very strong demand in peak season, well-presented properties can often achieve gross yields in the 7–10% range, and in some prime micro-locations even higher. Professional photos, strong reviews, and dynamic pricing are essential to reach this level.

Regulation for short-term rentals has become stricter in recent years. For stays shorter than 100 days, a tourism/short-stay license is typically required, and the building must permit such use. Our team helps you identify projects that already comply with these rules so that your buy-to-let strategy stays both profitable and fully legal.

Long-Term Residential Rentals

Long-term rentals focus on local professionals, families, students, and expats who stay for one year or more. They are common in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya city, and other large urban centres with universities and business districts.

Income per month is lower than for Airbnb, but occupancy is highly stable and management is simpler. In core city locations, long-term buy-to-let property in Turkey typically delivers gross yields around 5–7%, depending on purchase price, property condition, and tenant profile.

The big advantage is predictability: you know your monthly income and operating costs far in advance, which suits investors who prefer stable, low-effort income to more aggressive short-term strategies.

Hybrid Strategies

Some investors combine both models. Where regulations and building rules allow, they use the property for short-term rentals during the strongest tourism months, then switch to mid-term or long-term rentals in the shoulder season. This hybrid approach can push annual income closer to short-term levels while reducing operational pressure.

Expected Yields: 5–10% in the Right Locations

No two properties are identical, but some typical gross yield bands for buy-to-let property in Turkey look like this:

• Istanbul: around 6–8% in growth districts with strong transport links, slightly less in ultra-prime luxury areas.
• Antalya / Alanya / Belek: roughly 5–8% gross depending on distance to the beach, on-site facilities, and whether you focus on short-term guests.
• Ankara and other regional centres: often 7–9% gross in areas with universities, hospitals, and government offices.

From these gross yields, you deduct service charges (aidat), basic maintenance, property management and cleaning, utilities (if you include them in the rent), platform fees for Airbnb and Booking, taxes, and some allowance for vacancy. With professional pricing and careful selection, many foreign investors still end up with solid net yields, particularly when they factor in annual rent increases.

Inflation-Linked Rent Increases (TEFE–TÜFE)

One of the biggest strengths of buy-to-let property in Turkey is how rental contracts handle inflation. In long-term residential leases, annual rent updates are typically calculated using Turkish inflation indices such as TEFE–TÜFE (producer and consumer price indices).

In practice, this means that the rent on your contract is usually adjusted every year in line with published inflation (subject to legal caps and current legislation). For you as an investor, this provides three important benefits:

• Protection against inflation: your rental income does not remain fixed while prices and costs increase; it rises with the official indices.
• Clarity: both landlord and tenant know in advance that rent will be updated according to a transparent formula.
• Long-term stability: over a five to ten year horizon, this automatic adjustment helps keep your net yield relatively constant in real terms, even in a high-inflation environment.

Short-term rentals do not follow a formal TEFE–TÜFE formula, but nightly rates are naturally adjusted season by season based on demand. In practice, this also keeps your income aligned with the local cost environment.

Tax Considerations for Foreign Investors

Tax rules can change and you should always confirm the current details with a qualified advisor, but there are some general principles that make Turkey attractive for foreign buy-to-let investors.

If you do not live in Turkey and are not tax resident, your Turkish rental income is typically subject to withholding tax at source rather than a full income tax declaration in Turkey, depending on how the structure is arranged and on any double-tax treaties with your home country. In simple terms, the tax is withheld before the net amount reaches you, and you then handle any additional reporting in your own country.

Because of this structure, many foreign owners find that rental income from Turkey is both straightforward to manage and competitive after tax. The key is to keep clear records of all rental income, management fees, and property expenses so that your accountant can apply double-tax relief correctly where treaties exist.

Property Types That Work Best for Buy-to-Let

Different strategies favour different types of property. A few examples:

• 1–2 bedroom city apartments: ideal for long-term rentals or mid-term stays. They are easier to keep occupied and to resell later, and often appeal to young professionals and small families.
• Modern resort apartments in complexes with pools and facilities: very attractive for Airbnb guests. Strong amenities and professional management inside the complex add extra value and increase reviews and occupancy.
• Villas and townhouses near the coast: perfect for families and groups seeking privacy. They command premium nightly rates but need more attention for maintenance and seasonal marketing.

Whatever the property type, high-quality furniture, reliable Wi-Fi, efficient air-conditioning and heating, and a clean modern design significantly increase both occupancy and achievable nightly or monthly rates.

From Idea to Income: How We Help Buy-to-Let Investors

For many foreign investors, the main challenge is not buying a property; it is operating it profitably from abroad. That is where a local partner makes the difference. Our team offers a complete, step-by-step solution:

1. Define your strategy and yield goal: we clarify whether you prefer short-term, long-term, or hybrid rentals and agree on realistic yield targets.
2. Select the right projects and units: we shortlist properties that match your strategy, focusing on legal suitability for rentals, realistic income potential, and future resale liquidity.
3. Complete the purchase safely: we guide you through TAPU transfer, bank account opening, and all necessary legal checks.
4. Prepare the property for rentals: we coordinate furniture packages, décor, appliances, professional cleaning, and photography so your property is truly “hotel standard.”
5. Launch and manage your rentals: we handle pricing, listings, bookings, guest and tenant communication, check-ins and check-outs, cleaning, and regular inspections.
6. Report and optimise: you receive transparent income and cost reports so you can track your net yield, while we continuously refine pricing and strategy to improve performance.

With this structure, buy-to-let property in Turkey becomes a hands-off, income-producing asset rather than a time-consuming side project. You benefit from the country’s strong tourism, deep local demand, and inflation-linked rent dynamics, while our team takes care of the details on the ground.

For investors ready to acquire buy-to-let properties, our professional buying assistance in Turkey coordinates the complete acquisition process, ensuring properties are structured correctly for rental investment. Understanding the complete property purchase process is essential for buy-to-let investors. Our Buying Property in Turkey guide provides comprehensive information about legal requirements, market fundamentals, and investment considerations.