There’s something I’ve observed in people living in Istanbul (and many others have observed it too): once someone settles in this city, they either can’t leave or find it very difficult to leave and even if they do, after some time, they often come back. Of course, as with everything, there are exceptions to this. I have friends who left Istanbul and haven’t returned (to settle) for over 20 years. Still, the general tendency is as the title suggests: people don’t leave Istanbul; they can’t leave this city.
What’s interesting is that many people living in Istanbul, myself included, complain about the city’s problems: it’s overcrowded, dirty, the traffic is terrible at all hours (even at 3 a.m.), life is extremely expensive, rents are high, and the houses are in bad condition. Buying a house is a dream unless you’re a millionaire in dollars. The city is excessively noisy, people are uncivilized, ignorant, and disrespectful, and so on.
Moreover, many people living in Istanbul don’t even get to enjoy the city’s beauty. Our days are spent between work and home, with commuting stealing a significant portion of our time – sometimes even several hours daily. We only have weekends, and then we have to choose between going out or resting. Opting to go out and see the beauty of Istanbul brings two issues:
- It’s very expensive.
- Especially on weekends (and for the past few years, even on weekdays), you can’t enjoy anywhere you go because it’s too crowded.
Among friends, we have jokes about this: “No matter where we go in Istanbul, we can’t enjoy it because we’re going there with 1 million other people,” or “If the population were 1.5 million instead of 15 million, it would be an amazing city,” and so on.
So, why can’t people still leave this city? Why can’t I leave this city? Why haven’t I been able to leave since 1992?
Of course, everyone has their own thoughts, experiences, and reasons as to why people who settle in Istanbul can’t seem to leave. I also have my own thoughts and reasons. First, I will try to list the common reasons people have for this, based on the conversations I’ve had and what I’ve read, and finally, I will share my personal reasons.
Why Do People Stay in Istanbul Despite Its Many Challenges?
There are several reasons why people can’t seem to leave Istanbul, can’t settle in another city, or even if they do, they often return after a few years.
1. Job Opportunities
One of the main reasons, perhaps the most important reason, people continue to live in Istanbul is job opportunities. Although it is not the capital, Istanbul is Turkey’s largest city and, therefore, its largest business hub. Istanbul’s economy is far larger than that of other major cities, including the capital, Ankara. As a result, job opportunities are much more extensive compared to other cities in Turkey.
Additionally, although life in Istanbul is expensive, average salaries are much higher than in other cities across the country. In some sectors, the chance of earning enough to make a living in other cities is either non-existent or very limited, such as in my own field, the IT sector.
Yes, life in many cities in Turkey may be easier, cheaper, and more comfortable. However, if you’re unemployed, that ease and affordability don’t hold much value.
The option to work remotely, which came with COVID, has slightly changed this situation. Even some of my friends have left Istanbul. However, these remain exceptions. The reality is that in many sectors if you want to make a living, you need to live in Istanbul.
2. Access to Amenities
Istanbul provides a wide range of services and infrastructure that make everyday life more convenient compared to other cities in Turkey. The city offers world-class healthcare facilities, from specialized hospitals to clinics, which attract not only residents but also international patients seeking treatment.
Education is another key advantage, with numerous prestigious universities, research centers, and schools that cater to both domestic and international students, offering diverse programs across a variety of disciplines.
Additionally, Istanbul is a hub for entertainment, with an abundance of theaters, museums, concert venues, galleries, and restaurants, allowing residents to experience everything from cutting-edge contemporary art to centuries-old cultural traditions. The city’s modern shopping centers and markets, along with a well-established public transportation system, provide ease of access to goods and services that might not be as readily available in smaller cities.
This combination of top-tier amenities makes Istanbul a highly desirable place to live, despite its challenges.
3. Entertainment and Nightlife
Istanbul offers a vibrant and diverse entertainment scene that appeals to residents and visitors alike. The city is known for its abundance of restaurants and cafes, ranging from traditional Turkish eateries to international fine dining, catering to all tastes and budgets. Its nightlife is equally dynamic, with a wide selection of bars, nightclubs, and lounges, especially in districts like Beyoğlu, Kadıköy, and Beşiktaş, which are bustling with activity late into the night.
4. Cultural Events
When it comes to cultural events, Istanbul is far ahead, incomparable to any other city in Turkey. The city hosts a variety of cultural events, including concerts, theater performances, art exhibitions, music and film festivals, and street festivals, making it a hub for both contemporary and traditional arts. Whether you’re enjoying a relaxing evening by the Bosphorus or attending a world-class classical music concert, the city offers endless options for entertainment. This lively social scene is one of the reasons why people are drawn to and remain in Istanbul despite its challenges.
5. Diverse lifestyle options
Istanbul provides a unique blend of modern urban living and rich traditional culture, making it a city that appeals to a wide variety of personal lifestyles. In neighborhoods like Nişantaşı and Levent, you can experience cosmopolitan living with high-end shopping malls, luxury apartments, and international restaurants, reflecting the city’s modern side.
On the other hand, areas like Sultanahmet and Balat offer a glimpse into the city’s rich history, with ancient mosques, historic bazaars, and traditional tea houses. Whether you prefer the fast-paced, contemporary lifestyle of the city’s bustling business districts or the slower, more traditional way of life in its historical neighborhoods, Istanbul caters to both.
The city’s diverse population also ensures a multicultural environment, where people of different ethnicities, backgrounds, and beliefs coexist, further enriching its lifestyle options. This combination of old and new, local and international, makes Istanbul a city where anyone can find a way of living that suits them.
6. Hobbies
It may not be as relevant today, but until recent years, for certain hobbies, you could only find the necessary materials or human resources (or, at least, the best and most up-to-date versions of them) in Istanbul. This applied to items like cycling gear, photography equipment, musical instruments, electronic devices, and so on.
Istanbul was the only city in Turkey where many collectible items, from old records to rare books, could be found. It can still be said that this feature remains.
7. Social Circle
Actually, this applies not just to Istanbul but to any place. When you live somewhere for many years, you build a social circle. You have many friends, close ones, or people who share your hobbies (like my cycling friends) with whom you spend quality time. Leaving them behind and creating a new social circle can be emotionally challenging, and you might not find the social environment you’re looking for in your new location.
8. Istanbul is Like An Abusive Lover You Can’t Live With, Yet Can’t Live Without
Istanbul is vast, overcrowded, and far too chaotic to be considered a “nice city.” Everything feels like a struggle. Getting anywhere, doing anything – it’s all a hassle, and you’re constantly surrounded by hordes of weary, frustrated people, worn down by the relentless pace and pressures of the city.
Istanbul is like an abusive lover: she betrays you, burdens you with unreasonable demands, and seems to delight in making life unbearable. Yet, just when you’ve had enough, she offers fleeting moments of breathtaking beauty that keep you coming back. Even when you leave, slamming the door behind you, you find yourself longing for her, missing her despite all logic and your best efforts to stay away.
It’s an unhealthy kind of love, this attachment you develop for Istanbul. She has her beauties -stunning and unforgettable- but if you look too closely, you’ll see the cracks. Beneath her fading elegance, there’s decay, masked by clumsy attempts at cosmetic fixes. Her beauty is still remarkable, but so is her ugliness. Look too deeply, and the horrors are countless. She cleans up well, but beneath the surface, there’s an alarming amount of rot and the unmistakable stench of things long past their prime.
To live in Istanbul, you must accept the ugliness for the sake of the beauty. The longer you stay, the more she becomes part of you. Walk away if you must, but you’ll never truly forget the moments of wonder she gave you. Nice? Not at all. Legendary? Absolutely. Istanbul is a city of epics, and she is not for the faint-hearted.
Why I Didn’t (and Can’t) Leave Istanbul
The points I mentioned above, especially points 1, 4, 6, and 7, apply to me as well. Aside from these, as I mentioned at the beginning of the text, there is another very important reason that keeps me tied to Istanbul: the stray cats and dogs. The lives of over 100 cats and dozens of dogs are largely dependent on me. If I leave, there is no one else to take care of them. They would be left on their own. Knowing the situation they would face deeply saddens me, and this is the biggest obstacle preventing me from moving to another city.
[If you’d like to support my efforts to feed, spay/neuter, treat, and protect street animals, you can become a patron on my Patreon account. You can join for just $5 a month, which means feeding a cat for five days or five cats for one day. On behalf of our furry friends, thank you in advance!]
Related Post: Is Istanbul Truly a City of Cats? The Complex Reality
Sources
- Istanbul on Wikipedia
- Rumeli Lighthouse on Wikipedia
