M. Can Avcı
Founder · writer · Levent, Istanbul
Born in Turkey, returned in 2023 after years selling enterprise SaaS in London (currently full-time AE at TransferRoom). Started Nomad Istanbul because every time a friend asked "should I move to Istanbul?" I had to send them 8 different links — and most of those links were 4 years out of date.
I write the guide on weekends. The rule is: if I wouldn't tell a friend in person, it doesn't go on the site.
Why this site exists
Istanbul has 2 million-ish foreign residents and the English-language internet about it is mostly travel-blog filler. Nomad List has city scores. TripAdvisor has restaurants. The Wise blog has currency posts. Nobody covers the messy middle — the part where you've decided to move and now you need to know which bank actually opens accounts for foreigners, what a tax number is, why your phone stops working after 4 months, and whether Kadıköy or Cihangir fits the way you want to live.
So that's the brief. Practical, current, written by someone who can show you the actual building. Not aspirational, not "10 reasons Istanbul is amazing." More like a friend who already moved here and is happy to spend an hour telling you what they wish they'd known.
How we keep it honest
Five commitments that govern what goes on the site:
- 1."Last updated" is real. Each article shows the date it was checked. The cost-of-living article gets refreshed quarterly. Tax/visa articles get checked when the law changes. Stale content auto-flags a banner.
- 2.Status badges on everything. Every article carries one of: official (verified law), proposed (announced but not law), unclear (genuine ambiguity), needs-advisor (consult a CPA/lawyer for your case). No false certainty.
- 3.Numbers come with sources. If we say "70% of foreigners get rejected at Turkish banks" — we cite the basis. Pattern from clients, MASAK guidance, or external research, named explicitly.
- 4.No paid placement. When we recommend a coworking space or a bank, it's because we'd send a friend there. Affiliate links will be marked clearly when we add them — we won't add a service because of an affiliate program.
- 5.Disagreement welcome. If you've lived here longer or differently and think we got something wrong — email hello@nomadistanbul.com. We update articles with corrections and credit.
How it's funded
Right now: not. The site is a side project. The cost is small (a domain, Cloudflare hosting is free, Tailwind is free). I run it because I find writing about this stuff useful, and because I think there's a long-term thing here.
Over time, three things may change:
- Affiliate links for services we already recommend (Wise, SafetyWing, Spotahome, eSIM providers). Marked clearly. We won't add a service because of an affiliate program.
- A small concierge service for people who want their visa + bank + tax setup done by us. Future thing — the free guide stays free regardless.
- A paid newsletter or community if there's enough demand. Probably not for a year+.
Whatever happens, the rule is the same: the free guide stays the source of truth, and any paid layer has to be obviously worth it.
Get in touch
Email is the best way: hello@nomadistanbul.com. I read every message.
Things I'm happy to hear from you about:
- Corrections — I'd rather you tell me than someone else read the wrong thing
- Questions an article didn't answer (these become future articles)
- Recommendations for coworking spaces, neighborhoods, services I should test
- Your story if you've moved here — sample size of 1 is data
Things I'm probably not the right person for: legal advice on your specific case (talk to a lawyer), tax advice on your specific case (talk to a CPA), real-estate brokerage (talk to a broker). The guide explains how those things work; it's not a substitute for them.