Istanbul City Guide

Istanbul is Europe's largest city by population (15M+) and Turkey's economic, cultural, and tourism capital — straddling the Bosphorus across two continents. The city's 39 districts span from the historic UNESCO-listed Sultanahmet peninsula to the European-side prime markets of Beşiktaş, Şişli, and Sarıyer, the Asian-side urban heart of Kadıköy, and the growing peripheral districts of Başakşehir and Beylikdüzü. Average apartment prices ran ₺55,500-58,940/m² mid-to-late 2025 (~$1,520 USD/m²) per Hepsiemlak data, with premium Beşiktaş/Kadıköy projects at ₺150,000-200,000/m². Gross rental yields average 7.24% across the city. Istanbul is the focal point of Turkey's $400K Citizenship-by-Investment programme — one of the few CBI programmes remaining globally after the 2025 EU closures (Malta MEIN abolished April 2025, Cyprus CIP abolished 2020). The city grew by 420,000 residents in 2024 alone, including 150,000 foreigners (primarily Russian, Iranian, CIS, Gulf-state).