Turkey’s residential rental market is offering investors a relatively strong income proposition in 2026, with average gross rental yields reaching 7.86% in the third quarter, up from 7.33% in the first quarter, according to data from Global Property Guide and Emlakjet.
The headline national figure, however, masks significant differences between cities and neighbourhoods. For investors assessing Turkey’s residential market, location, property size and entry price can make a substantial difference to the rental returns available.
Istanbul remains one of the most closely watched markets, combining the country’s largest urban economy with a wide spread in rental yields. Across the city, apartments generate an average gross yield of 9.92%, making Istanbul one of the stronger major-city markets in the comparison.
But returns vary sharply between neighbourhoods. Beylikdüzü stands out for its particularly high reported yields, with one-bedroom apartments showing a gross yield of 25.15%, while two-bedroom units record 16.42%. Three- and four-bedroom properties offer lower but still substantial yields of 9.22% and 8.66%, respectively.
Esenyurt is another relatively high-yielding Istanbul location. One-bedroom apartments generate a reported 12.15% gross yield, compared with 10.92% for two-bedroom and 10.36% for three-bedroom units.
At the other end of the spectrum are more expensive neighbourhoods such as Sarıyer and Kadıköy, where higher acquisition costs compress rental yields. Sarıyer records yields ranging from 3.01% to 4.28%, while Kadıköy ranges between 4.71% and 5.62% across the apartment sizes listed.
The figures illustrate an important feature of Turkey’s residential investment market: higher property prices do not necessarily translate into higher rental returns. In several established neighbourhoods, investors are paying a premium for location, while more affordable areas can offer stronger rental income relative to purchase prices.
Ankara presents a slightly different picture. The capital’s average gross rental yield stands at 8.51%, above the national average. Two-bedroom apartments across the city generate an average yield of 9.14%, while three-bedroom units return 8.09% and four-bedroom properties 8.60%.
Mamak records one of the strongest yields in Ankara, with two-bedroom apartments generating 10.40%. Keçiören also performs well, with two-bedroom units producing 8.97%. In more established areas such as Çankaya, yields are lower, ranging from 6.03% to 7.24%.
Antalya, despite its international profile and strong appeal as a tourism and lifestyle destination, records a lower citywide average yield of 6.57%. One-bedroom properties offer the highest return among the apartment categories at 7.69%, followed by two-bedroom units at 6.51%.
The data also shows a clear variation within Antalya. Kepez offers an 8.17% yield on one-bedroom apartments, while Muratpaşa records 7.95%. In Alanya and Konyaaltı, where property prices are comparatively higher, yields are generally lower, particularly for larger apartments.
Izmir occupies a middle position among the major cities, with an average gross rental yield of 7.35%. One-bedroom apartments generate an average 8.08%, while two-bedroom and three-bedroom units return 7.68% and 7.01%, respectively.
Within Izmir, Bornova and Konak offer some of the stronger returns. One-bedroom apartments in Bornova generate a reported 9.10% yield, while Konak records 9.00%. Karşıyaka, meanwhile, offers 7.92% for one-bedroom units.
The picture changes again in Adana, where the average gross yield stands at 8.06%. One-bedroom apartments generate a particularly strong 10.05%, while two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom properties return 7.69%, 7.18% and 7.33%, respectively.
Beyond Turkey’s largest metropolitan and coastal markets, several secondary cities also offer competitive rental returns. Konya records an average yield of 7.60%, while Bursa stands at 7.66%. Kayseri has the lowest citywide average among the eight markets compared, at 7.18%, although its individual apartment categories remain relatively close to the national average.
The numbers point to a broader trend in Turkey’s residential investment market. Investors looking primarily for rental income may find opportunities outside the country’s most expensive neighbourhoods, where lower acquisition costs can produce stronger gross yields.
However, gross yield is only the starting point when assessing the economics of a rental property. The reported figures are calculated before taxes, maintenance and repair costs, ground rents, agent fees and other ownership expenses. Net yields can typically be around 1.5 to 2 percentage points lower.
That distinction is particularly important when comparing markets with very high headline yields. A reported gross return of more than 10% may look compelling, but the actual income retained by an investor will depend on operating expenses, vacancy periods, taxation and property management costs.
The latest figures nevertheless show that Turkey continues to offer a broad range of rental-income opportunities. Istanbul provides a combination of scale and high average yields, while Ankara, Adana and several neighbourhood-level markets offer competitive returns at comparatively lower entry points.
For investors, the central question is therefore not simply where rental yields are highest, but whether the underlying property price, rental demand and ownership costs support those yields over the long term. The wide variation across Turkey’s cities and neighbourhoods suggests that location selection remains one of the most important determinants of residential investment performance.
