Healthcare in Turkey

The quality of healthcare in Turkey varies from region to region. Expats moving to Turkey will be happy to know that healthcare in Turkey is cheap and there are many private and public hospitals across the country. Expats living in Turkey will also find that accessing medicines at chemists is relatively easy as many prescription medications are available cheaply and over the counter. Expats moving to one of the major urban centres in Turkey, such as Istanbul, Izmir or Antalya as well as a few others, will have access to good quality private hospitals with experienced (and English speaking) doctors and medical staff.

Public healthcare in Turkey is not up to the standards that expats from Europe and North America are familiar with, however the private hospitals in Turkey are cheap and offer good quality care. In fact, Turkey is beginning to make a name for itself as a medical tourism destination, particularly in the areas of cosmetic surgery, dentistry and fertility treatment.

Turkey has no national health system available to expats. The Turkish government planned to roll out a public healthcare system in 2010, however this was postponed until 2012. Expats moving to Turkey have the option of paying for health care as they need it or taking out private medical insurance. While healthcare is inexpensive in Turkey, expats moving to Turkey are advised to take out some form of health insurance when moving to Turkey.

There are a number of international companies offering expat health insurance, however the local Turkish companies also offer competitive rates and services. International expat healthcare insurance can cost thousands of US dollars per year, depending on your policy and benefits. However, local Turkish health insurance is equally effective and far cheaper at less than 1,000 USD per year.