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This is part of the detailed Turkey city atlas for choosing where to live, relocate or spend a longer season. In Turkey, the exact neighbourhood, building, transport and registration situation matter as much as the city itself.
In this guide
Who is it suitable for?
Antalya is one of the easiest cities for the first year in Turkey: sea, airport, Russian-language services, clinics, schools, shopping centers, delivery, sports, nature, many foreigners. Particularly suitable for families, remote workers and people for whom a clear household infrastructure is important.
Not suitable for those who do not tolerate humid heat, want a strong job market or do not want to live among a large Russian-speaking environment.
Best areas
Konyaaltı. Main expat zone. Hurma and Liman – many foreigners, complexes, shops, schools, consumer services. Arapsuyu is closer to the beach and center, convenient, but more expensive. Altınkum and Öğretmenevleri give a good urban balance. Sarısu is closer to nature and the cable car, but without a car it is less convenient.
Lara/Muratpaşa. Çağlayan, Fener, Şirinyalı, Güzeloba – more modern, closer to the airport, clinics, malls, restaurants. Lara is often popular with families and those who want less of a “Russian resort” than Konyaaltı.
Kaleiçi. The old town is beautiful and touristy. Good for walks, bars, boutiques, short life, but for constant living, noise, parking, humidity and tourists can tire.
Döşemealtı. Villas, space, quieter, cooler, more air. Need a car. Suitable for families who do not need to walk to the beach every day.
Kepez. Cheaper, a lot of new housing, but the quality of the environment is very different. We need a spot check of the street, transport and neighborhood.
Where to be careful
Too cheap complexes in Hurma/Liman with high aidat and a bad management company. Old houses by the sea with mold. Apartments near D400: noise and dust. Visitor center if you need quiet.
Where are there more foreigners?
Konyaaltı, Lara, Hurma, Liman, Kundu, partly Kepez. The Russian-speaking environment is one of the densest in Turkey.
Housing
Check air conditioners, humidity, mold, window screens, water pressure, boiler, sound insulation. In the summer, a south-facing apartment can be expensive when it comes to electricity. In winter, without proper heating, it can be damp and cold inside.
Transport
Tram, buses, taxis, airport. You can live in Konyaaltı without a car if the apartment is well located. For Döşemealtı, distant beaches and trips into nature, a car dramatically improves the quality of life.
Cafe and food
Konyaaltı Beach Park: beach cafes, sports, breakfasts, bars.
Lara/Çağlayan/Fener: coffee shops, brunches, restaurants, meeting places.
Kaleiçi: bars, tourist restaurants, evening life.
Local formats: pide, köfte, balık, lokanta, serpme kahvaltı in the surrounding area.
Clinics
There are many private hospitals and Russian-speaking coordinators in Antalya. Convenient for routine medicine. For very complex cases they often go to Istanbul. Check the cost of admission before your visit: the price for a foreigner may vary.
Banks and services
In the Konyaaltı and Lara areas, branches are often accustomed to foreigners. But the requirements are changing: residence permit, YKN, Turkish number, address and document on funds greatly increase the chances.
Children and family
There are private schools, clubs, sports, swimming pools, Russian-language and international initiatives. Check licenses and language of instruction. For a family, Lara or the quieter parts of Konyaaltı are often better than the densest Liman.
Seasonality
Summer is hot and humid, August is difficult. Winters are mild, but apartments can be cold. The tourist season affects prices, roads and services.
Little tricks
- Look at the apartment on a hot day: you will understand the real side of the sun.
- Ask about the average electricity bill in the summer.
- Don’t buy a “sea view” instead of a normal house.
- The best living areas are not always the first lines.
- If you need a Russian-language environment – Konyaaltı; if you want a little more Turkish city life – Lara/Muratpaşa.
