Living in Alanya 2026: A Guide for Expats and Property Buyers

Alanya, on the eastern stretch of Antalya province’s coast, has grown from a castle town and package-holiday resort into one of Türkiye’s largest communities of foreign homeowners. It offers long beaches, a mild winter and a big stock of modern apartment complexes, along with its own airport at Gazipaşa. This guide explains how the main neighbourhoods differ, what homes cost in 2026, where the residence-permit rules stand, and what to check before you buy.

Key points

• Endeksa put Alanya’s average asking price at 59,938 lira per square metre in June 2026, with an average home value of about 6.6 million lira (roughly $135,000). Annual price growth was among the slowest in Antalya province.
• In 2022, the migration authority closed four Alanya neighbourhoods (Mahmutlar, Kestel, Kargıcak and Avsallar) to new residence-permit registrations by foreigners. Local media reported in June 2026 that applications there were being accepted again, but we could find no published official notice. Check your exact address before you commit.
• Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport handled about 730,000 passengers in January–September 2026, according to provisional DHMİ figures. That was 8% fewer than a year earlier. Antalya Airport, around 120 km away, has far more routes.
• A property-based residence permit requires a deed value of at least $200,000. A home used for rental income does not qualify.
• Summers are hot and humid. Winters are among the mildest on the Turkish coast, but most of the year’s rain falls between November and March.

Alanya at a glance

Alanya is a district of Antalya province with about 370,000 registered residents, according to figures cited by national media in 2026. It is the province’s main resort outside the city of Antalya. Its centre sits on a rocky peninsula topped by a Seljuk-era castle, completed in the 1220s after Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I took the town, and the octagonal Red Tower (Kızıl Kule) still guards the harbour. On either side of the peninsula, beaches and apartment districts stretch for kilometres: Cleopatra Beach and Damlataş to the west, Keykubat Beach, Oba and Mahmutlar to the east.

Foreign residents have long been part of the town. Germans and Scandinavians arrived first. Russian speakers became the largest group in the past decade, and buyers from Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Iran followed. TÜİK put the number of foreign residents in Alanya at around 55,000 in 2022. Among Antalya province’s foreign buyers in September 2026, Russian citizens led with 260 homes, followed by Ukrainians (108), Germans (69) and Kazakhs (40), according to TÜİK data reported by local media. Across Türkiye, foreigners bought 2,167 homes that month, 9.9% more than a year earlier. Sales for January–September were down 4.3%, at 15,308.

The town is also changing physically. Our report on the second stage of the Atatürk Avenue renewal covers works on the main road through the centre.

Getting there and getting around

Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport lies east of the town, about 30–45 minutes by road from the centre and closer to the eastern suburbs such as Mahmutlar and Kargıcak. TAV Airports operates it. Provisional DHMİ figures show 730,297 passengers in January–September 2026, of whom about 413,000 were on international flights. Year-round routes include domestic services to Istanbul and Ankara and some flights to Russia, Kazakhstan and Finland. Many European routes, including charter flights to Germany, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries, run in summer only.

Antalya Airport, about 120 km west, is the region’s main gateway and has many more year-round connections. Our report on Antalya Airport passing 30 million passengers shows how busy it is. Expect a drive or transfer of around two hours to Alanya. Many residents fly through Antalya in winter and use Gazipaşa in summer.

Locally, dolmuş minibuses and municipal buses link the centre with Oba, Tosmur, Mahmutlar, Konaklı and Avsallar along the D400 coastal road. A cable car runs from near Damlataş up to the castle. The centre and the flat coastal strip are walkable, but a car is useful for the hill neighbourhoods, inland villages and trips along the coast.

Climate

Alanya has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. Long-term averages (1991–2020) show daytime highs of about 33°C in July and August, with high humidity. January is mild, with average highs of about 16–17°C and lows of about 9–10°C, warmer than Fethiye or Bodrum. The downside is rain: annual rainfall averages almost 1,100 mm, most of it falling between November and March, often in heavy storms. Storms can be severe: we recently reported that storms hit parts of the Antalya and Muğla coast.

When viewing property, ask about damp, drainage, roof and balcony waterproofing, and heating. Many coastal flats rely on air-conditioning units for both heating and cooling.

Neighbourhoods compared

City centre and Saray. These areas suit buyers who want to live year-round, close to shops, the harbour, Damlataş and Cleopatra beaches, public offices and hospitals. The housing is mostly older apartment blocks, with some newer projects replacing them. Prices are the highest in the town: a May 2026 market survey put average land values in Saray at more than 115,000 lira per square metre. The same survey showed home prices there rising only 2.6% over the year.

Oba and Cikcilli. These are popular, largely residential areas just east and north-east of the centre, with schools, parks, supermarkets and many modern complexes with pools. Families and long-term residents like them. Oba home prices rose about 23% in the year to May 2026, roughly in line with the town as a whole.

Tosmur. This is a quieter, greener area between Oba and the Dim River, popular with older European residents. It has mid-rise complexes, and the river valley has restaurants and picnic spots.

Kestel. This beach suburb east of Tosmur has mostly newer complexes, many with sea views from the hillside. It was one of the four neighbourhoods closed to residence permits in 2022 (see below).

Mahmutlar. About 10 km east of the centre, Mahmutlar is a former town that grew from holiday-apartment development. It has around 50,000 residents and the largest international community in Alanya. It has a long promenade, plenty of shops and some of the area’s most affordable new-build flats. Home prices there rose about 27% in the year to May 2026, the fastest among the neighbourhoods surveyed. Kargıcak, further east and higher up, offers newer, larger projects with views.

Konaklı and Avsallar. These coastal neighbourhoods west of the centre, towards Antalya, are dominated by hotels and holiday complexes. Prices are generally lower than in the town, and the beaches are good. They are quieter in winter and more dependent on a car. Avsallar was also on the 2022 closed list.

Türkler and the western coast. Türkler, near Avsallar, combines beach hotels with villa and apartment projects. According to the May 2026 survey, its home prices rose only about 5% over the year, a sign of slower demand.

Hill villages and inland areas. Neighbourhoods inland from the coast offer detached houses, larger plots and cooler summers. Buyers should take extra care with zoning and land status.

What property costs in 2026

Alanya is now one of the cheaper major resort markets per square metre. Endeksa data for June 2026 put the average asking price at 59,938 lira per square metre and the average home value at 6.59 million lira, about $135,000 at mid-October 2026 exchange rates of roughly 49 lira to the dollar. Prices were 22.1% higher than a year earlier, among the slowest increases in Antalya province. Across the province, the average was 55,264 lira per square metre. Nationally, Endeksa and Emlakjet put the average at 42,488 lira in August 2026, with prices rising 23.5% over the year but falling 6.2% in real terms.

Endeksa also estimated the average payback period for Alanya at about 20 years, one of the longest in the province. That means rents are low relative to purchase prices, so long-term rental income is modest. A separate local survey in May 2026 found that home prices in the town as a whole rose about 23% over the year, while land prices rose about 30%.

These are averages based on asking prices. New complexes with full facilities (pools, gyms, security) and sea-view flats sell for considerably more, while older flats inland cost less. For comparisons with other resort markets, see our guide to where to buy property in Turkey and our Antalya city guide.

Many buyers rent first. Antalya province’s average rent was about 29,300 lira a month in August 2026, according to Emlakjet and Endeksa, compared with a national average of about 28,000 lira. Furnished flats near the sea cost more, and long-term lets become scarce in early summer, when some owners switch to holiday rentals. Rent increases on lease renewals are tied to the 12-month average of consumer price inflation; for October renewals the cap was 31.49%. Our cost of living guide compares rents and everyday costs across cities.

Residence permits and the closed-neighbourhood rule

In 2022, Türkiye’s Presidency of Migration Management began closing neighbourhoods where foreign residents exceeded a set share of the population to new residence-permit applications and registrations. As of July 2022, 1,169 neighbourhoods in 62 provinces were closed. In Alanya, Mahmutlar, Kestel, Kargıcak and Avsallar were on the list. The rule did not stop foreigners buying property there, but it did stop new buyers from using an address there for a first residence permit.

On 4 June 2026, local outlets reported that residence-permit applications in these four neighbourhoods were being accepted through the e-ikamet system again. They cited a statement by the ruling AK Party’s Alanya district chairman, who said the official letter and implementing rules would follow. Consultancies and property sites later reported that the restriction had been lifted in many other provinces too. However, as of mid-October 2026, we could not find a published notice from the migration authority confirming the change or listing which neighbourhoods are open. The migration authority’s website could not be accessed for this guide, and its online list of required documents makes no mention of neighbourhood restrictions.

In practice:

• treat the reopening as reported but not officially published, and remember that neighbourhood status is set by the authorities and can change;
• before paying a deposit, ask a lawyer or the provincial migration office in Antalya to confirm that the exact address can be used for a first residence-permit application;
• note that the status on the date of your application is what matters.

For a property-based short-term residence permit, the migration authority requires a title deed showing a value of at least $200,000 at the time of purchase. The home must be used as your own residence, not for rental or other income. You also need health insurance covering the whole permit period, proof of sufficient means and address documents, and you must register your address within 20 business days of approval. Since the average Alanya home is valued well below $200,000, many buyers will need a different route, such as a permit based on a rental contract and proof of income. Our residence permit guide and renewal guide explain the options. Citizenship by investment requires property worth at least $400,000; see our citizenship explainer.

Checks before you buy in Alanya

1. Title deed and land status. Confirm through the land registry (TKGM) that the seller owns the property and that there are no liens or annotations. In the hills, check the zoning plan and whether the land is designated as agricultural or forest land.
2. Occupancy certificate (iskan). Many complexes were built quickly during boom years. Make sure the building has its iskan and that the unit on the deed matches what you are buying. A zoning amnesty certificate does not replace an iskan; see our zoning amnesty explainer.
3. Off-plan purchases. For projects not yet completed, check the developer’s track record, building permit and contract terms, and how payments are protected.
4. Valuation report. A report by a licensed valuer is required for sales to foreigners. For a residence permit, the value on the deed is what counts, so make sure it reflects the real price.
5. Site management fees (aidat). Complexes with pools, gyms and security charge monthly fees that can be substantial. Ask for recent accounts and the management plan.
6. Holiday letting. Renting to tourists requires a permit from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and in buildings with several units all owners must consent. Read our short-term rental explainer and our report on new rules for booking platforms. If you rely on a property-based residence permit, renting out the home is not allowed.
7. Licensed agent and secure payment. Use an agent with an authorised listing, check the tightened listing rules for foreign owners, and follow the new secure payment system for property sales.

Our step-by-step guide to buying property as a foreigner and guide to purchase costs cover the full process, including the title deed fee. You can browse current property for sale across Turkey on Vartur. This guide is general information only. Consult an independent lawyer and the relevant official office about your own case.

Healthcare and schools

Alanya has a large state training and research hospital run by the Ministry of Health, a Başkent University teaching hospital and several private hospitals and clinics, many with international patient departments and English-, German- or Russian-speaking staff. The most complex cases may be referred to hospitals in Antalya. A residence permit requires health insurance, and many foreign residents choose private cover; see our explainers on health insurance for foreign residents and booking public hospital appointments through MHRS.

State schools teach in Turkish and are free. Alanya also has several private schools (kolej), some offering English-language or international programmes, but provision is far narrower than in Antalya or Istanbul. Families should check each school’s curriculum, accreditation and fees directly. The education ministry has moved to ease school registration for foreign children.

Settling in

The same national procedures apply in Alanya as anywhere in Türkiye. Most new residents will need to:

• get a tax number and open a bank account;
• apply for a residence permit and renew it on time;
• register their address with the population office; see our guide to address registration for foreigners;
• set up an e-Devlet account; see how foreign residents get e-Devlet;
• register the IMEI of any phone brought from abroad; see our IMEI guide.

Our moving to Turkey checklist puts these steps in order.

Daily life is easier for newcomers than in many Turkish towns. Shops, pharmacies, estate agents and clinics in Mahmutlar, Oba and the centre often work in English, German and Russian. Weekly markets, beach promenades and clubs help people settle in. In winter, the hotel strips of Konaklı and Avsallar go quiet, while the centre, Oba and Mahmutlar remain active. Day trips east towards Gazipaşa offer quieter beaches and ancient sites such as Antiochia ad Cragum.

Pros and cons at a glance

Reasons people choose Alanya

• One of the mildest winters on the Turkish coast, and long sandy beaches close to town.
• A large, established international community, with services in several languages.
• Average prices per square metre well below Bodrum, Fethiye or central Antalya.
• A local airport at Gazipaşa, with Antalya’s international hub within reach.
• Plenty of modern complexes with pools, gyms and on-site management.

Points to weigh up

• The residence-permit status of four popular neighbourhoods is reported to have changed but has not been officially published, so check each address.
• Many homes fall below the $200,000 residence-permit threshold.
• Rental yields are low relative to prices, and holiday letting needs a permit.
• Hot, humid summers and heavy winter rain.
• Gazipaşa has limited winter routes, and Antalya Airport is about two hours away.

Bottom line

Alanya suits buyers who want a warm winter, beach life and an international community at prices below most other Mediterranean resorts. Oba, Cikcilli and the centre work best for year-round living, while Mahmutlar offers the most choice and the lowest entry prices. Before buying, rent for a season if you can, confirm the residence-permit status of the exact address, and check the deed, iskan and site fees. Do not count on rental income to cover your costs.

Frequently asked questions

Which airport is closest to Alanya?

Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport, about 30–45 minutes east of the centre by road. Antalya Airport, around 120 km away, has many more year-round international routes.

How much does a home in Alanya cost in 2026?

Endeksa put the average asking price at 59,938 lira per square metre in June 2026, with an average home value of about 6.6 million lira. New sea-view complexes cost considerably more.

Are Mahmutlar, Kestel, Kargıcak and Avsallar still closed to residence permits?

They were closed to new foreign residence registrations in 2022. Local media reported in June 2026 that applications were being accepted again, but no official list had been published by mid-October 2026, so confirm your exact address with the migration office first.

Can I get a residence permit by buying in Alanya?

Yes, if the deed value is at least $200,000 and you use the home as your own residence rather than renting it out. Health insurance, proof of means and address registration are also required.

Which Alanya neighbourhoods suit year-round living?

The centre, Oba and Cikcilli are close to services and stay active in winter. Mahmutlar also has a large year-round international community, while Konaklı and Avsallar are quieter off-season.

What is the weather like in Alanya in winter?

Mild, with January highs of around 16–17°C, but wet: most of the roughly 1,100 mm of annual rain falls between November and March.

Last updated: 17 October 2026. Rules, fees and thresholds in Türkiye change often; check the latest official guidance or ask a licensed lawyer before you act.

Sources

• Havalimanı yolcu istatistikleri, January–September 2026, provisional (DHMİ)
• Short-term residence permit required documents (Presidency of Migration Management, e-ikamet)
• Alanya'da 4 mahalle yabancılara kapatıldı, July 2022 (Alanya Kent Haber)
• Alanya'da yabancı ikamet izni müjdesi: kapalı mahalleler yeniden başvuruya açıldı, 4 June 2026 (Gündem Alanya)
• Alanya'da ikamet krizi bitti mi?, 4 June 2026 (Gazete Alanya)
• Residence permits in Turkey's closed districts: which areas reopened in 2026 (Turk.Estate)
• Kapalı mahalle kısıtlaması sona erdi mi?, June 2026 (Online Çalışma İzni)
• TÜİK September 2026 home sales: Antalya buyers by nationality (Antalya Körfez)
• TÜİK September 2026: 2,167 homes sold to foreigners (EmlakDream)
• Endeksa June 2026 Antalya housing data: Alanya (Yeni Alanya)
• Alanya neighbourhood price changes, May 2026 (Yeni Alanya)
• Endeksa May 2026 Antalya housing report (Yeni Alanya)
• Emlakjet and Endeksa August 2026 home value report (Foreks)
• Emlakjet and Endeksa August 2026 rent report (Foreks)
• Alanya population, June 2026 (Ensonhaber)
• Valuation report mandatory in sales to foreigners, TKGM circular (Bloomberg HT)
• Alanya: history, climate data (NOAA/MGM 1991–2020), hospitals, foreign residents (Wikipedia)
• Gazipaşa–Alanya Airport: operator and routes (Wikipedia)
• Mahmutlar (Wikipedia)
• USD/TRY rate, 14 October 2026 (Hisse.net)

Photo: kallerna / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons