---
title: "Living in Sivas as a digital nomad: cost, safety, visa, internet"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/sivas
description: "Cold Anatolian plateau city of Seljuk monuments, now on high-speed rail"
dataset: 2026.11.2 (2026-11-09)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Sivas, Türkiye

Sivas scores 57.3/100 for digital nomads under balanced weights, ranking 952 of 1501 cities. Expect about $850 per month (country-level estimate), a nomad visa (Digital nomad visa), and a measured median download speed of 14.3 Mbps.

Sivas is a conservative university city on the central Anatolian plateau at about 1,300 m, with a compact centre of medieval Seljuk madrasas and the UNESCO-listed Divriği mosque elsewhere in the province. The high-speed line to Ankara, opened in 2023, takes about 2 hours. Rents are low, but winters are long and snowy, English is rare and there is almost no foreign community.

Known for: Seljuk madrasas, Divriği Great Mosque (UNESCO), High-speed train to Ankara, Long snowy winters.

## Scores (balanced weights, 0–100)

| Factor | Score |
| --- | --- |
| Overall | 57.3 |
| Cost of living | 82 |
| Safety | 53 |
| Healthcare | 75 |
| Internet | 51 |
| Visa ease | 73 |
| Getting there & around | 16 |
| Climate | 33 |
| Air quality | 68 |
| Quality of life | 65 |

## The numbers behind the scores

| Metric | Value | Level | As of | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $850 | country | 2026-09 | [^2] |
| Central 1-bedroom rent | — | city | 2026-09 | [^3] |
| Outskirts 1-bedroom rent (basis of the monthly total) | — | city | 2026-09 | [^3] |
| Homicide rate (per 100k) | 2.41 | country | 2024 | [^4] |
| Political stability (0–100) | 50.2 | country | 2025 | [^5] |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 77 | country | 2023 | [^6] |
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.2 | country | 2023 | [^7] |
| Median download (Mbps) | 14.3 | city | 2024 | [^8] |
| Median upload (Mbps) | 5.5 | city | 2024 | [^8] |
| Starlink residential service | Coming soon (Pending regulatory approval) | country | 2026-10 | [^9] |
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad visa (min $3,000/mo) | country | 2026-11-09 | [^10] |
| Visa guide | [Türkiye long-stay visa guide](https://nostos.navoy.io/visas/turkiye) | country | 2026-11-09 | [^10] |
| Entry for US / EU / UK passports | 90 days / 90 days / 90 days | country | 2026-02 | [^11] |
| Non-stop destinations (VAS) | 4 | city | 2026-07 | [^12] |
| Restaurants within 3 km of the centre (OpenStreetMap) | 31 | city | 2026-11 | [^16] |
| Walkability / transit (1–5) | 3 / 2 | editorial | 2026-09 | [^13] |
| Comfortable months | 4 of 12 | city | 2001–2020 | [^14] |
| Annual mean PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 19.4 | city | 2025 | [^15] |
| Human Development Index | 0.853 | country | 2023 | [^17] |
| English proficiency band | low | country | 2024 | [^18] |

## Tax on income from abroad

**Residents pay 15%–40% on worldwide income; newcomers can exempt foreign income for 20 years, not remote work.** Türkiye taxes residents on worldwide income at 15% to 40%, so foreign salary, freelance fees, dividends, interest and gains all go on your return. People who settle from 2026 after three years with no Turkish home or tax liability can apply to exempt foreign income for 20 years, but work you do while in Türkiye is Turkish income and stays taxed. There is no wealth tax; inheritance tax is 1%–10%.

| Question | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| How residents are taxed | worldwide income |
| Remote work for foreign clients or employers | taxed (15%–40% progressive (2026)) |
| Investments and pensions from abroad | taxed (15%–40% progressive (2026)) |
| Wealth | no wealth tax; Valuable housing tax: 0.3%–1% a year on homes with a tax value above TL 17,711,000 (2026), except your only home; inheritance tax applies |
| Tax resident after | 183 days a year |
| Top income tax rate | 40% |

Residency: You are fully taxable on worldwide income if your domicile (ikametgâh, the place you live with the intention of settling, under the Civil Code) is in Türkiye, or if you stay in Türkiye continuously for more than six months (roughly 183 days) within one calendar year; temporary trips abroad do not break the stay (Income Tax Law No 193, Articles 3–4). The count runs per calendar year, so someone who arrives in July and leaves the next June never passes six months in either year, although a home rented with the intention of settling can still make them domiciled. Under Article 5, foreigners who come for a specific temporary job or assignment, or for study, medical treatment, rest or travel, are not treated as settled even after six months. Whether a digital nomad on a one-year permit fits that exception has not been addressed in official guidance, so do not rely on it. Non-residents are taxed only on income earned in Türkiye (Article 6).

Remote work: A resident adds a foreign salary or freelance income to the annual return, filed in March of the following year, and pays the progressive rates (Income Tax Law, Articles 86, 92 and 103). The 20-year foreign-income exemption for newcomers does not help here: wages count as earned in Türkiye when the work is performed in Türkiye, and professional fees when the activity is carried out there (Article 7(3)–(4)), and Communiqué No 333 confirms that fees for services given from Türkiye to foreign clients are outside the exemption (Example 10). Even before you are resident, work done while physically in Türkiye is Turkish-source under Article 7, although a tax treaty with the employer's country often protects short stays; check yours. Freelancers who register with the tax office pay Turkish social security as self-employed people (Law No 5510, Article 4(1)(b)) and may qualify for an 80% deduction on exported software, design, engineering and data services (see regimes). Foreign tax paid on the same income can be credited (Article 123). Foreign residence-permit holders who are not insured under another country's system fall into Turkish general health insurance (Law No 5510, Article 60(1)(d)).

Investments: Foreign dividends, interest, rent and capital gains are added to a resident's other income and taxed at 15%–40%. The half exemption for dividends applies only to Turkish companies (Article 22(3)), and the two-year holding exemption for share gains only to shares of Turkish companies (Mükerrer Article 80), so foreign shares are taxed in full whenever sold; foreign property sold within five years of purchase also produces a taxable gain. Foreign tax can be credited (Article 123). People who settle from 1 January 2026 and had no Turkish domicile or tax liability in the previous three calendar years can apply for a certificate that exempts all foreign-source income for 20 years, with no return to file (Mükerrer Article 20/D; see regimes). This profile could not confirm from official sources how pensions paid from abroad are treated outside that exemption; it depends on your tax treaty, so check it. Crypto-asset gains are not covered here.

On the nomad visa: Türkiye's digital nomad visa (a free Digital Nomad Identification Certificate from GoTürkiye, a consular visa and then a short-term residence permit) carries no tax concession, and the official programme pages say nothing about tax. Holders are taxed like anyone else: residents after more than six months in a calendar year or once domiciled, and taxable on the remote work they do in Türkiye. If they become resident and meet the three-year test, they can use the 20-year exemption for their foreign investment income, but not for the remote work itself.

Schemes for newcomers:

- **Foreign-income exemption for new residents (GVK Mükerrer Article 20/D)** (20 years): All income earned outside Türkiye is exempt from income tax for 20 years, with no return to file for it. Foreign tax on that income cannot be credited and related costs are not deductible. Turkish-source income, including fees or wages for work done in Türkiye, is taxed normally at 15%–40%. Inheritances on the holder's death within the 20 years are taxed at a flat 1% (Law No 7582 of 21 May 2026; Communiqué No 333). Who qualifies: Individuals of any nationality who become Turkish resident on or after 1 January 2026 and had no Turkish domicile and no Turkish tax liability in the three previous calendar years (earlier Turkish rent, investment or capital-gains income does not count). You must apply to your tax office for the exemption certificate (Form EK-1) by the end of the year you become resident, or by the end of February of the next year if you settle in November or December.
- **Service-export deduction (GVK Article 89(13))** (no fixed end): 80% of the profit from those services is deducted from taxable income, provided all of it is brought into Türkiye by the annual return deadline, so the 15%–40% rates apply to only 20% of that profit (at most 8% overall). Who qualifies: Residents who register business or professional income in Türkiye and provide architecture, engineering, design, software, medical reporting, bookkeeping, call-centre, product-testing, certification, data storage, data processing or data analysis services from Türkiye to clients abroad that are used only abroad, invoiced to the foreign client. Salaried employees do not qualify.

Official sources: [Income Tax Law No 193 (Gelir Vergisi Kanunu), consolidated text](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuatmetin/1.4.193.pdf) (Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi, Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (mevzuat.gov.tr), read 2026-10-27); [Law No 7582 amending certain laws (Bazı Kanunlarda Değişiklik Yapılmasına Dair Kanun), Official Gazette No 33270 of 4 June 2026](https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2026/06/20260604-1.htm) (Resmî Gazete (resmigazete.gov.tr), read 2026-10-27); [Income Tax General Communiqué Serial No 333 (exemption for income earned abroad), Official Gazette No 33300 of 4 July 2026](https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2026/07/20260704-14.htm) (Resmî Gazete (resmigazete.gov.tr), read 2026-10-27); [Inheritance and Transfer Tax Law No 7338 (Veraset ve İntikal Vergisi Kanunu), consolidated text](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuatmetin/1.3.7338.pdf) (Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi, Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (mevzuat.gov.tr), read 2026-10-27); [Property Tax Law No 1319 (Emlak Vergisi Kanunu), consolidated text](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuatmetin/1.5.1319.pdf) (Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi, Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (mevzuat.gov.tr), read 2026-10-27); [Fees Law No 492 (Harçlar Kanunu), consolidated text](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuatmetin/1.5.492.pdf) (Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi, Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (mevzuat.gov.tr), read 2026-10-27); [Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law No 5510, consolidated text](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuatmetin/1.5.5510.pdf) (Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi, Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (mevzuat.gov.tr), read 2026-10-27); [Application requirements for the Digital Nomad Visa and short-term residence](https://goturkiye.com/digitalnomads/application-requirements-for-digital-nomad-visa-and-short-term-residence) (GoTürkiye, Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, read 2026-10-27).

Not yet reviewed by a person. General information, not tax advice. US citizens are taxed by the US wherever they live.

## Climate (2001–2020 normals)

| Month | Mean °C | Rain mm | Humidity % | Comfortable |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jan | -4.1 | 52 | 88 | no |
| Feb | -2 | 37 | 84 | no |
| Mar | 2.1 | 51 | 77 | no |
| Apr | 6.6 | 48 | 71 | no |
| May | 11.5 | 61 | 70 | no |
| Jun | 15.8 | 37 | 65 | yes |
| Jul | 18.6 | 14 | 61 | yes |
| Aug | 19.3 | 8 | 59 | yes |
| Sep | 15.5 | 23 | 59 | yes |
| Oct | 10.1 | 40 | 65 | no |
| Nov | 3.2 | 46 | 74 | no |
| Dec | -1.8 | 43 | 83 | no |

## Airports and nonstop flights

| Airport | IATA | Nonstop destinations | International | From US airports |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sivas Airport | VAS | 4 | 1 | 0 |

Unique destinations across all airports: 4, of which 1 international (Wikipedia, 2026-07).

## Similar cities

- [Marmaris](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/marmaris) (57.8) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/marmaris-vs-sivas)
- [Göreme (Cappadocia)](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/goreme) (59.1) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/goreme-vs-sivas)
- [Kayseri](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/kayseri) (59.2) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/kayseri-vs-sivas)
- [Mersin](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/mersin) (55.6) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/mersin-vs-sivas)
- [Kuşadası](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/kusadasi) (59.3) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/kusadasi-vs-sivas)

## FAQ

### How much does it cost to live in Sivas as a digital nomad?

A single person typically spends about $850 per month in Sivas (a country-level estimate for Türkiye). That is a 82/100 cost score, where 100 is the cheapest city in the dataset.

### Is Sivas safe for digital nomads?

Sivas scores 53/100 on safety. Türkiye records 2.41 homicides per 100,000 people per year (WHO, 2024) and a political-stability score of 50.2/100 (World Bank WGI). Both figures are national, so neighbourhood-level risk can differ.

### Does Türkiye have a digital nomad visa?

Yes. Türkiye offers the Digital nomad visa with a minimum income of about $3,000 per month. Verify current rules with the issuing authority before applying. Full guide: https://nostos.navoy.io/visas/turkiye

### How fast is the internet in Sivas?

Measured median download speed in Sivas was 14.3 Mbps (upload 5.5 Mbps) across 131,481 M-Lab tests in 2024. Measured speeds run below advertised plan speeds everywhere, so compare cities rather than reading the number as a plan.

### Is Starlink available in Sivas?

Not yet. Starlink's availability map lists Türkiye as coming soon (Pending regulatory approval) as of 2026-10. Roaming plans may work for short stays, but local rules on using them vary.

### Which airports serve Sivas and how many nonstop flights are there?

Sivas is served by Sivas Airport (VAS) with 4 nonstop destinations, of which 1 are international. 0 US airports have a nonstop link. Source: Wikipedia, 2026-07.

### When is the best time of year to be in Sivas?

The most comfortable months are Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep. Mean temperatures range from 25°F (-4°C) in Jan to 67°F (19°C) in Aug (NASA POWER 2001–2020 climatology).

### Sivas or Marmaris: which is better for digital nomads?

Marmaris is the city with the closest factor profile to Sivas in this dataset. Which one wins depends on your weights; the comparison page puts every factor side by side with the numbers behind them.

## Plan a trip

[Plan a trip to Sivas](https://dashboard.navoy.io/trip/new?utm_source=nostos&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=plan_trip&utm_content=sivas&destination=Sivas%2C+T%C3%BCrkiye) on Navoy, the AI travel planner behind Nostos.

## Sources

[^1]: City population (latest census or official estimate), Wikipedia (citing national statistics offices). CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^2]: 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level), WhereNext. CC BY 4.0. https://getwherenext.com/data/cost-of-living-2026 (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^3]: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows), WhereToEmigrate. CC BY 4.0. https://github.com/0brien18/global-emigration-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^4]: Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, dataUNODC. UNODC data, free to reuse with attribution. https://data.unodc.org/datareport/hom-victim (retrieved 2026-10-12)
[^5]: Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100), World Bank. CC BY 4.0. https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/worldwide-governance-indicators (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^6]: UHC service coverage index, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/uhc-index-of-service-coverage (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^7]: Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/life-expectancy-at-birth-(years) (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^8]: M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024), Measurement Lab. CC0 1.0. https://statistics.measurementlab.net/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^9]: Starlink availability map, SpaceX (Starlink). Factual status cited from starlink.com. https://www.starlink.com/map (retrieved 2026-10-07)
[^10]: Nostos long-stay visa guides, Navoy. CC BY 4.0. https://nostos.navoy.io/visas (retrieved 2026-10-04)
[^11]: Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), Ilya Ilyankou (compiled from passportindex.org). MIT. https://github.com/ilyankou/passport-index-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^12]: Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables), Wikipedia contributors; countries via Wikidata. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/ (retrieved 2026-09-24)
[^13]: Walkability and transit ratings (editorial), Navoy. CC BY 4.0. https://nostos.navoy.io/methodology (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^14]: NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means), NASA Langley Research Center. Public domain (US Government). https://power.larc.nasa.gov/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^15]: Air Quality Statistics: validated annual mean PM2.5, 2025 (E1a), European Environment Agency, from Türkiye's national air quality network. CC BY 4.0 (EEA re-use policy). https://discomap.eea.europa.eu/App/AQViewer/index.html?fqn=Airquality_Dissem.b2g.AirQualityStatistics (retrieved 2026-11-09)
[^16]: OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API), OpenStreetMap contributors. ODbL 1.0. https://overpass-api.de/ (retrieved 2026-10-02)
[^17]: Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023), United Nations Development Programme. CC BY 3.0 IGO. https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/documentation-and-downloads (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^18]: EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band), EF Education First. Proprietary; band cited as a fact with attribution. https://www.ef.com/epi/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/sivas