Safest cities in Turkey
100 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
Areas the UK FCDO advises against visiting
- Turkey-Syria border
In full or in part — the official advisory lists exact boundaries and exceptions.
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in TurkeyTerrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Turkey.
Political situation
- Regular demonstrations and protests are currently taking place in Istanbul and other cities across Turkey. Demonstrations may become violent. The police response has included use of tear gas and water cannons.
Crime
- Protecting yourself and your belongingsStreet robbery and pickpocketing are common in the major tourist areas of Istanbul. Be aware of your personal belongings and make sure they are always secure.
- Counterfeit banknotesBanks and money exchanges may not accept 50 or 100 US dollar bills, due to a reported surge in counterfeit banknotes of these denominations in Turkey. You should not accept these banknotes where possible.
- Drink and food spikingBe wary of strangers approaching you to change money, or to take you to a restaurant or nightclub. If strangers offer you food and drink these could be spiked. Buy your own drinks and always keep sight of them.
- Methanol poisoningThere has been an increase in cases of serious illness caused by alcoholic drinks containing methanol in popular travel destinations around the world.
- Sexual assaultAmong the 4.27 million British travellers that visited Turkey in 2025, 29 cases of sexual assault, including rape, were reported to British consular staff. The majority of cases that have been reported took place during the tourist season in coastal resort areas. Often these crimes were committed by someone the victim may have met during the day,…
- Taxi safetyAccepting lifts from drivers of unofficial taxis is highly risky. Find a registered taxi, note the registration number before entering and ensure the fare is metered. App-based taxis and pre-booked taxis are also widely available.
Laws and cultural differences
- E-simsAccess to some e-sim services is restricted in Turkey. Check with your provider before travelling.
- RamadanRamadan is a holy month for Muslims in Turkey. The next Ramadan will likely begin between early February and early March in 2027 and will last for 29 or 30 days. Get more advice when you arrive from your tour guide, hotel or business contacts.
- Personal IDIt is illegal not to carry some form of photographic ID in Turkey. Always carry your passport or residence permit. In some busy areas, especially Istanbul, the authorities may stop people for ID checks. There are also several police checkpoints on main roads across Turkey. Cooperate with officials conducting checks.
- Children and accommodationThere are some reports of hotels refusing to check-in children aged 17 and under who are not accompanied by a parent or guardian, unless written parental consent has been provided (and in some cases notarised). Check with your accommodation provider in advance.
- Dress codeDress modestly if you’re visiting a mosque or a religious shrine to avoid causing offence.
- Personal injury claimsThere are reports of tourists being encouraged to submit a claim for personal injury if they have experienced gastric illness in Turkey. Find out what you can do if you have suffered a personal injury on the Citizens Advice website. Only make a claim if you have genuinely suffered from injury or illness. If you make a false or fraudulent claim,…
- Smoking bansSmoking is illegal on public transport and in all indoor workplaces and public places. Smoking is restricted in some outdoor areas where cultural, artistic, sports or entertainment activities are held.
- Illegal drugsIllegal drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties. You should expect a long prison sentence of 4 to 24 years and heavy fines for possessing, using or smuggling illegal drugs, including when transiting through airports.
- Stray dogsMost towns and cities have stray dogs. Packs congregate in parks and wastelands and can be aggressive. Take care and do not approach stray dogs. If you’re bitten, get medical advice immediately. Rabies and other animal borne diseases are present in Turkey.
- Sale of antiquitiesBuying or exporting antiquities is illegal. You could be fined and receive a prison sentence of 5 to 12 years. Some historical items found at local markets and in antique shops can be sold within Turkey but are illegal to export. Confirm the status of antique items before you buy them.
- Using camerasDo not take photographs of or near military or official installations. Ask for permission before photographing people.
- LGBT+ travellersSame-sex sexual activity is legal in Turkey. However, many parts of Turkey are socially conservative and showing affection in public could receive unwelcome attention. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
- Comments about the nation and flagIt is illegal to insult the Turkish nation or the national flag. These laws can also apply to comments or images online no matter where you were or when you posted them. Defacing Turkish banknotes is also illegal. Offences under these laws are punishable by a prison sentence of between 6 months and 3 years.
Outdoor activities and adventure tourism
- Extreme sportsIf you do an extreme sport, check that adequate safety precautions are in place. British nationals have been injured and killed doing extreme sports. Only use reputable operators. Make sure you are given full instructions and training before your activity. Make sure your travel insurance covers you for all activities you do. Always read the…
- ParaglidingParagliding is an extreme sport and carries the risk of serious injury or death. British nationals have died or been seriously injured whilst paragliding in Turkey.
- Quad biking and mopedsQuad biking is an extreme sport and carries the risk of serious injury or death. You need specific travel insurance to cover quad biking. Always read the details of your insurance cover, especially the small print and exclusions on your policy.
- Jeep safarisJeep safaris can be dangerous - there have been a number of reported accidents in recent years. If you join a jeep safari, use a reputable company who have adequate health and safety procedures and equipment. Always check that activities are covered by your insurance.
- Water sportsBook activities at a licensed water sports centre and before you start:
- Swimming and beachesEvery year, people drown in the sea and in swimming pools in Turkey. Always supervise children, even if they can swim or there is a lifeguard present.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Turkey, see information on driving abroad.
- Driving conditionsTake care when travelling by road, particularly at night. Approach checkpoints slowly and follow the instructions of security personnel. Roads between major cities are generally in excellent condition, but the road surface can be poor in remote areas. Accidents are common – mainly due to poor or reckless driving.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- EarthquakesMany parts of Turkey regularly experience earthquakes and tremors. These can be high magnitude, cause damage to infrastructure, and pose a risk to life.
- Extreme temperaturesExtreme temperatures can affect many areas of Turkey over the summer months.
- WildfiresWildfires happen frequently in Turkey during summer.
- FloodingSevere rainstorms can cause flooding and landslides across Turkey, damaging roads and bridges. Some routes may become impassable, making it difficult to travel and reducing essential services.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Turkey, updated 2026-07-22 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 2.41 /100k2024
- Income inequality
- Gini 43.72023
- Human development
- HDI 0.8532023
- Income
- $44,630/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 6.7 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 49/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 42/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 31/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 5.2/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.66GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 26.4 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- no dataof population · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 2.2 doctors /1k3.1 hospital beds per 1,000
- Malaria
- 0 /1k at riskWHO, 2020 · endemic countries only
Natural hazards
- Earthquake
- 9.3/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Flood
- 6.0/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Tsunami
- 5.0/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Drought
- 2.1/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Turkey (as of 2025).
How Turkey compares
| Measure | Turkey | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 2.4 /100k | 2.4 /100k | +0.0 /100k |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 43.7 | 35.2 | +8.5 — better for World median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.853 | 0.763 | +0.090 — better for Turkey |
| Road deaths | 6.7 /100k | 15.4 /100k | −8.7 /100k — better for Turkey |
| Rule of law | 42/100 | 52/100 | −10/100 — better for World median |
| Corruption perceptions | 31/100 | 39/100 | −8/100 — better for World median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 26.4 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | +6.7 µg/m³ — better for World median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 5.2/10 | 3.8/10 | +1.4/10 — better for World median |
| Measure | Turkey | Asia median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 2.4 /100k | 1.5 /100k | +0.9 /100k — better for Asia median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 43.7 | 33.4 | +10.3 — better for Asia median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.853 | 0.766 | +0.087 — better for Turkey |
| Road deaths | 6.7 /100k | 15.3 /100k | −8.6 /100k — better for Turkey |
| Rule of law | 42/100 | 52/100 | −10/100 — better for Asia median |
| Corruption perceptions | 31/100 | 37/100 | −6/100 — better for Asia median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 26.4 µg/m³ | 28.6 µg/m³ | −2.2 µg/m³ — better for Turkey |
| Natural-hazard risk | 5.2/10 | 3.6/10 | +1.6/10 — better for Asia median |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 100 cities, safest first
- Izmir67.9 · #3648 worldwide
- Antalya67.9 · #3649 worldwide
- Konya67.9 · #3650 worldwide
- Eskisehir67.9 · #3651 worldwide
- Samsun67.9 · #3652 worldwide
- Denizli67.9 · #3653 worldwide
- Malatya67.9 · #3654 worldwide
- Manisa67.9 · #3655 worldwide
- Sivas67.9 · #3656 worldwide
- Sakarya67.9 · #3657 worldwide
- Balıkesir67.9 · #3658 worldwide
- Trabzon67.9 · #3659 worldwide
- Aydin67.9 · #3660 worldwide
- Isparta67.9 · #3661 worldwide
- Çorum67.9 · #3662 worldwide
- İnegöl67.9 · #3663 worldwide
- Zonguldak67.9 · #3664 worldwide
- Kütahya67.9 · #3665 worldwide
- Uşak67.9 · #3666 worldwide
- Karabük67.9 · #3667 worldwide
- Düzce67.9 · #3668 worldwide
- Siverek67.9 · #3669 worldwide
- Ordu67.9 · #3670 worldwide
- Karadeniz Ereğli67.9 · #3671 worldwide
- Afyonkarahisar67.9 · #3672 worldwide
- Erzurum67.9 · #3673 worldwide
- Aksaray67.9 · #3674 worldwide
- Tekirdağ67.9 · #3675 worldwide
- Manavgat67.9 · #3676 worldwide
- Turgutlu67.9 · #3677 worldwide
- Bolu67.9 · #3678 worldwide
- Tokat67.9 · #3679 worldwide
- Giresun67.9 · #3680 worldwide
- Edirne67.9 · #3681 worldwide
- Çanakkale67.9 · #3682 worldwide
- Karaman67.9 · #3683 worldwide
- Nazilli67.9 · #3684 worldwide
- Alanya67.9 · #3685 worldwide
- Elbistan67.9 · #3686 worldwide
- Bandırma67.9 · #3687 worldwide
- Akhisar67.9 · #3688 worldwide
- Salihli67.9 · #3689 worldwide
- Karadere67.9 · #3690 worldwide
- Bafra67.9 · #3691 worldwide
- Soma67.9 · #3692 worldwide
- Akçaabat67.9 · #3693 worldwide
- Niğde67.9 · #3694 worldwide
- Amasya67.9 · #3695 worldwide
- Kastamonu67.9 · #3696 worldwide
- Rize66.0 · #3846 worldwide
- Kırşehir66.0 · #3847 worldwide
- Kayseri64.9 · #3988 worldwide
- Kahramanmaraş64.9 · #3989 worldwide
- Mersin64.1 · #4063 worldwide
- Adana64.1 · #4064 worldwide
- Tarsus64.1 · #4065 worldwide
- Kazanlı Mah.64.1 · #4066 worldwide
- Yenice64.1 · #4067 worldwide
- Kadirli63.0 · #4198 worldwide
- Ankara62.3 · #4252 worldwide
- Sincan62.3 · #4253 worldwide
- Elazığ62.3 · #4254 worldwide
- Saray Osmangazi62.3 · #4255 worldwide
- Mustafa Kemal62.3 · #4256 worldwide
- Keskin62.3 · #4257 worldwide
- Bursa61.7 · #4302 worldwide
- Çorlu61.7 · #4303 worldwide
- Doğubayazıt61.7 · #4304 worldwide
- Patnos61.7 · #4305 worldwide
- Istanbul61.4 · #4336 worldwide
- Kocaeli61.4 · #4337 worldwide
- Çerkezköy61.4 · #4338 worldwide
- Gölcük61.4 · #4339 worldwide
- Yalova61.4 · #4340 worldwide
- Ağrı61.4 · #4341 worldwide
- Arnavutköy61.4 · #4342 worldwide
- Muş60.2 · #4420 worldwide
- Al58.4 · #4569 worldwide
- Erciş58.3 · #4575 worldwide
- Yumurtalık58.1 · #4585 worldwide
- Van58.0 · #4592 worldwide
- Adıyaman57.9 · #4602 worldwide
- Bingöl57.8 · #4606 worldwide
- Diyarbakir57.0 · #4698 worldwide
- Siirt54.3 · #4905 worldwide
- Batman54.2 · #4927 worldwide
- Osmaniye54.2 · #4928 worldwide
- Viranşehir53.7 · #4961 worldwide
- Şanlıurfa52.6 · #5053 worldwide
- Silopi51.0 · #5131 worldwide
- Cizre51.0 · #5132 worldwide
- Kızıltepe50.2 · #5178 worldwide
- Nizip50.1 · #5185 worldwide
- Nusaybin49.9 · #5188 worldwide
- Yüksekova49.8 · #5196 worldwide
- Gaziantep49.1 · #5279 worldwide
- İskenderun48.1 · #5350 worldwide
- Samandağ47.7 · #5371 worldwide
- Kırıkhan47.5 · #5383 worldwide
- Hatay47.3 · #5393 worldwide