Cost of Living in Turkey for International Students, in PKR

Going by the universities' own figures, a single student in Türkiye spends about 12,000 to 18,000 Turkish lira a month in Ankara living in a campus dorm on a careful budget (about Rs 67 thousand to 1 lakh), and about 15,300 to 29,000 lira a month in Istanbul on a budget lifestyle (about Rs 86 thousand to 1.6 lakh). That is before tuition. The Türkiye Bursları (Türkiye Scholarships) programme pays a monthly stipend of 6,500 lira for bachelor's, 9,500 for master's and 13,000 for PhD students (about Rs 36.5 thousand, Rs 53 thousand and Rs 73 thousand), on top of free tuition, accommodation and health insurance.

This guide turns those figures into rupees so a Pakistani family can see what a month really costs, then sets the Türkiye Bursları stipend against them to show what is left or short. We read every figure on 31 October 2026 on Turkish university, Türkiye Scholarships and Turkish consulate pages. Some university pages don't show the date their figures were set, and we say so where that is the case. Prices in Türkiye rise quickly, so the official pages are always the final word.

The exchange rate we used

Every rupee figure here uses 1 Turkish lira (TL) = Rs 5.62, the mid-market rate shown by Wise on 31 October 2026, and US$1 = Rs 277 for figures given in dollars (Wise, Rs 276.7). Banks and exchange companies in Pakistan sell lira at a higher rate than mid-market, and the rate moves every day. The lira has lost value against most currencies for several years while prices in Türkiye have climbed, so a lira figure from last year can be well out of date. Our Study in Türkiye guide uses an older rate and older stipend figures; this page has the figures we read today. Recheck before you transfer money, or use our cost calculator.

What a month costs in Ankara

Middle East Technical University (METU) gives the fullest set of figures we found, on its international students' cost of living page, last updated on 22 June 2026. Its averages for a student in Ankara in 2026 are:

The yearly figures are our own sums. METU puts basic living costs other than accommodation at about 8,000 to 15,000 TL a month (Rs 45 thousand to 84 thousand). The same page breaks the costs down:

• Accommodation: an on-campus public or university dormitory costs 4,000 to 20,000 TL a month (Rs 22 thousand to 1.1 lakh), a private student dormitory in Ankara 12,000 to 60,000 TL (Rs 67 thousand to 3.4 lakh), and a three-person flat near the university 35,000 to 60,000 TL a month for the whole flat.
• Food: a university cafeteria lunch costs 80 to 120 TL (Rs 450 to 670). A kilo of chicken is 180 to 250 TL, and 12 eggs 100 to 140 TL.
• Transport: a student monthly bus and metro pass is 400 to 600 TL (Rs 2.2 to 3.4 thousand). METU's campus shuttle is free.
• Phone: a monthly mobile bill is 400 to 800 TL (Rs 2.2 to 4.5 thousand).
• Health insurance: Türkiye's General Health Insurance (GSS) costs 15,000 to 20,000 TL a year (Rs 84 thousand to 1.1 lakh). A private policy is 5,000 to 40,000 TL a year.
• Study materials: English preparatory course books for one level are 600 to 1,000 TL.

What a month costs in Istanbul

Istanbul is Türkiye's most expensive city for students. Istanbul Commerce University's cost of living page gives a monthly budget in lira. The page shows no date.

The totals are our own sums. For comparison, Özyeğin University's cost of living page, also undated, gives its Istanbul dorm at US$300 to US$600 a month (Rs 83 thousand to 1.7 lakh), transport at about US$15 a month and dining hall meals at about US$4 to US$6 each. Istanbul rents have risen fast, so book housing early and ask the university for this year's dorm prices in writing.

Tuition and the residence permit

Tuition comes on top for self-funded students. METU's 2026-27 fee list for international students who started in 2023-24 or later charges, per semester:

METU converts the dollar fee into lira at the Central Bank's rate a week before each payment date. A year of English preparatory study costs the same as the faculty's fee, so a student who needs the prep year pays for an extra year. Private universities charge far more, and fees differ widely; our Study in Türkiye guide gives typical ranges. Check the exact fee on your university's own page.

Every international student needs a student residence permit after arriving. METU's residence permit page, last updated on 19 October 2026, gives the residence permit card fee as 964 TL for 2026 (about Rs 5.4 thousand) and says visa fees and residence permit fees are not charged to its students. It also asks for health insurance covering the whole permit period, either a private policy or GSS. This is a summary of a university page, not immigration advice; Türkiye's migration authority is the final word.

What the visa centre asks you to show

Unlike some countries, Türkiye's missions in Pakistan don't publish a fixed amount a student must show. The Turkish Consulate General in Karachi's visa checklist, dated 20 October 2025, asks student applicants for six months of bank statements or savings certificates, an account maintenance certificate, a parent's or guardian's employment letter with three months of salary slips, a sponsorship affidavit or NOC from the parents, the university's admission confirmation, the FRC and NTN, and flight and hotel reservations. It names no minimum balance. The checklist also says applications go through Anatolia Travel Services and that submitting every document does not guarantee a visa.

For a family, the practical point is that the bank statement should show enough for the costs above, plus tuition. A Türkiye Bursları award letter shows the scholarship pays most of them. This is a summary of the consulate's page, not immigration advice; the consulate is the final word.

How far the Türkiye Bursları stipend goes

The Türkiye Bursları programme page lists the scholarship as university placement, tuition, a one-year Turkish language course, accommodation, health insurance, a flight ticket at the start and end of the studies, and the monthly stipend. Merit Scholarship holders get twice the stipend. Because rent and insurance are covered, we set the stipend against the costs other than accommodation:

"Left" and "short" are what remain after the universities' estimates; they are not a promise, and spending depends on the student. A careful student living in a scholarship dorm and eating in the cafeteria will sit at the lower end of these ranges. Read the table with these points in mind:

• The bachelor's stipend is tight. Set against today's costs, 6,500 TL does not stretch to the middle of either university's range, so many families should plan to send some money each month. The Türkiye Bursları page on our site has the eligibility rules and documents.
• Accommodation means a dorm place. The scholarship's accommodation FAQ talks about KYK (state) dormitories and private, university and foundation dorms. Some graduate scholars can instead take a cash accommodation aid, which the FAQ gives as 750 TL a month (Rs 4.2 thousand). That is far below rents in Ankara or Istanbul, so moving out of the dorm usually costs the family money.
• The Turkish year. Scholars who don't already hold C1 Turkish spend their first year on a Turkish course, which the scholarship pays for. Our article on whether IELTS is required for Türkiye Bursları explains the attendance rules, because missed classes cut the stipend.
• When to apply. The programme page says applications open on 10 January and close on 20 February each year. Confirm the 2027 dates on the official calendar when it opens.

Can part-time work fill the gap?

Families should not count on it. Our Study in Türkiye guide explains that international students need a work permit, which the employer applies for, and that bachelor's students can work only after their first year. Part-time jobs for students who don't speak Turkish are limited. Türkiye Bursları scholars should also check the scholarship's own rules before taking paid work. Plan a budget that works on the stipend or on family money alone.

Your next step

Pick two or three universities, open each one's fees and accommodation pages, and put their figures and today's exchange rate into our cost calculator, so the whole family sees the yearly total in rupees. If you plan to apply for Türkiye Bursları in January, start your documents now with our document checklist. Applying for Türkiye Bursları is free on the official TBBS portal. Never pay an agent who promises a "guaranteed" scholarship or admission; our guide to avoiding scholarship scams explains the warning signs. Check each figure on the official page before you count on it. This page is general information, not financial advice.