Moving to Istanbul
It is also a vibrant, modern European city, home to many expats, where East and West intermingle and come together to form a whole that is hardly recognised by the pieces.
It is a city where Europe and Asia meet with only a narrow strait of water separating the two continental land masses; where wide highways and fast cars bisect narrow winding alleys and horse drawn carts; where tall skyscrapers sit cheek by jowl with historical buildings; and where both Eastern bazaars and Western style shopping malls beckon seductively.
Wandering down parts certain parts of Istanbul alongside chicly dressed westernised Turks you could be forgiven for thinking that you are in Europe. In other parts of town, the Islamic influence is much more clearly seen and headscarves are becoming more commonly worn.
Istanbul has a lively nightlife accentuated by some very upmarket restaurants and even trendier nightclubs.
Compared to the rest of Turkey however, the cost of living in Istanbul is expensive. Petrol is particularly expensive when compared to Europe and the US, as is imported alcohol (which is freely available in supermarkets). In fact, most branded imported items will be costly due to high import duties.
However for daily groceries, medical care and domestic help you will find Istanbul is cheaper than most Western countries.
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