Affordable homes by the sea: where Turkish property is still good value

Key points

• According to the source, Turkey's coast still offers homes by the sea at moderate prices without sacrificing build quality or infrastructure.
• The source picks out Mersin, Gazipaşa, Alanya, Side and Belek, Fethiye and Bodrum as affordable coastal areas.
• In Side, residential building centres on Kumköy, Sorgun, Evrenseki and the areas towards Manavgat, with low-rise complexes, pools and green courtyards.
• Istanbul and Antalya also have cheaper districts, where distance from the centre, the neighbourhood and transport links decide the price.

As of 1 July 2025, source: guide to affordable places to buy in Turkey published on 1 July 2025. The source gives no specific prices. For newer figures on prices per square metre, see Turkey house prices in March 2026.

Seaside living on a sensible budget

Turkey combines something rare for a country with a long coastline: you can buy near the sea at an affordable price and still get decent construction, infrastructure and everyday comfort. That is why the coast increasingly appeals to buyers who want a proper home rather than luxury.

Along the Mediterranean, Aegean and Marmara coasts, complexes with pools, green courtyards and security are going up near beaches and promenades. The source says they often cost less than second-hand flats in panel-built suburbs of European capitals, and that applies to new apartments with balconies and good layouts, not just studios or older stock.

Year-round life matters too. Many towns have schools, hospitals, public transport and shops that run outside the season, and in growing areas roads, electricity and water are laid before construction begins, according to the source. Because these towns attract tourists, locals and foreigners who have moved for good, even a modest flat can be let, used seasonally or held for the long term.

Six coastal areas worth a look

Mersin: a big city by the sea

Mersin lies on the southern Mediterranean coast, with Antalya to the west and Adana to the east. It is a working city of over a million people, with a port, industry and universities, rather than a resort. Adana is easy to reach by train, Çukurova International Airport is 74 km away, and ferries run from the port to Northern Cyprus.

New housing costs significantly less than in Antalya or Alanya, the source notes, and is built for permanent residents. Development is most active in Tece, Tömük and Erdemli, where whole neighbourhoods are rising within walking distance of the sea; Erdemli has become a small town in its own right.

Gazipaşa: steady growth on Antalya's eastern edge

Gazipaşa is neither a classic resort nor a suburb of Alanya, but an independent town bordering Mersin, framed by mountains, citrus groves and quiet coves. Height limits have kept development low-rise, with small complexes of few units.

It has a state hospital, schools, kindergartens, banks and markets, and the Gazipaşa-Alanya airport runs an international terminal with domestic flights and charters from Europe. New flats within about a kilometre of the sea are cheaper than equivalents in Alanya, the source says, thanks to the town's size, low-density building and moderate demand.

Alanya: a resort city that never closes

In the east of Antalya Province, between the sea and the Taurus Mountains, Alanya has outgrown its seasonal image, with schools, hospitals and services all year. Its districts follow the D400 highway, each with its own density and prices:

• Mahmutlar: the busiest, densest and most affordable area, with most of the new-build stock, from simple one-bedroom flats to penthouses, usually with pools, gyms, security and underground parking.
• Tosmur, Cikcilli and Hasbahçe: quieter, mixing older budget flats with new complexes offering sea and mountain views, close to the centre.
• Demirtaş: an emerging area on the eastern edge near Gazipaşa with very low entry prices; schools, shops and minibuses to the centre are already there.

Side and Belek: 25 km apart, two different lives

Both are known as upmarket destinations, yet the source points out that residential districts away from the tourist zones can be surprisingly affordable.

Side: most homes are being built in Kumköy, Sorgun, Evrenseki and the areas towards Manavgat, away from the historic centre with its boutique hotels and Roman ruins. Expect two- or three-storey complexes with pools, green courtyards and gated entrances, many designed for European buyers and relatively new. Options range from spacious apartments with terraces to duplexes and detached villas. Schools, clinics, pharmacies and markets are within walking distance; for specialist services residents go to Manavgat, about 5 km away. Antalya is roughly an hour's drive.

Belek: long known for luxury hotels and golf, it is now growing residential areas in the town centre and towards Serik and Antalya, with townhouses, villas and low-rise blocks. Away from the hotel zone, flats sell at prices comparable to big-city outskirts. Serik is 15 minutes away and Antalya Airport about 35 km, under 40 minutes by car.

Fethiye: nature and an international community

On the south-west coast between Antalya and Marmaris, Fethiye has no high-rises or mass tourism. It offers public and private schools (including English-speaking ones), medical centres and the Erasta mall, with Dalaman Airport 45 km or 40–45 minutes away. British, German, Dutch and French residents have been moving here since the 1990s, and English is widely spoken. Lower-priced areas outside the centre include beachside Çalış, Taşyaka near the centre for year-round living, and Ovacık and Hisarönü for villas with pools.

Bodrum: budget homes do exist

Bodrum means waterfront villas and yachts to many, but it also has quiet towns with modest low-rise housing: Turgutreis, Gündoğan, Mumcular, Bitez, Akyarlar, Konacık and the outer parts of Yalıkavak. Mumcular, 15 km inland among vineyards and olive groves, is cheaper still. On a limited budget, the source says, expect a flat without sea view in a low-rise complex rather than a villa with pool. Milas–Bodrum Airport is 30–40 minutes from almost anywhere on the peninsula.

Istanbul and Antalya: affordable at the edges

In the big cities, according to the source, affordability depends less on the price per square metre than on distance from the centre, the neighbourhood's status, the type of building and transport access.

• Istanbul: Tuzla, Pendik and Sancaktepe on the Asian side; Esenyurt, Arnavutköy, Beylikdüzü and Başakşehir on the western European side. Urban renewal is producing high-rise complexes with security, parking and green space close to the E-5, TEM, metro and Metrobus, often cheaper during construction.
• Antalya – Kepez: the city's most populous district, with new projects in Göksu, Mazıdağı, Yeni Doğanlar and Fevzi Çakmak, a tram line and road links to the airport; urban rather than touristy.
• Antalya – Altıntaş: a fast-growing area near the airport with low-priced new projects, especially off-plan; schools, clinics, tram routes and parks are planned.

For newer figures on foreign demand in Antalya Province, see foreign buyers in Turkey 2026.

Bottom line

Affordable does not have to mean basic on the Turkish coast. Look at residential districts away from the tourist centres and, according to the source, you will find newer complexes with solid infrastructure. If Side and its surroundings interest you, browse current properties for sale or contact us.