Istanbul or Another Turkish City? Comparing Tuition and University Counts by City
Of 44 partner universities in mainland Turkey, 33 are in Istanbul — but Ankara, Antalya, Gaziantep, Bursa and Izmir have partner universities too, some with lower tuition floors.
Figures last verified:
Key summary: Of Homa Study's 44 partner universities in mainland Turkey (not counting North Cyprus), 33 are in Istanbul, 7 in Ankara, and one each in Antalya, Gaziantep, Bursa and Izmir. The tuition floor isn't in Istanbul either: the lowest published figure in our directory is $1,000 a year at Ankara Science University, against $1,300 for the cheapest Istanbul option. Applying through Homa Study is free in all six cities — you pay tuition directly into the university's own account.
Most families researching Turkey start with "Istanbul," because it's the name they've already heard. But Istanbul isn't the only option, and — as the numbers below show — it isn't always the cheapest one either. This post lines up our partner universities city by city, using only the figures actually on record in our directory.
Six cities, one table
| City | Partner universities | Tuition floor | Language of instruction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Istanbul | 33 | $1,300 (Istanbul Kent University) | Most offer both English and Turkish |
| Ankara | 7 | $1,000 (Ankara Science University) | All 7 offer an English-taught program |
| Antalya | 1 (Antalya Bilim University) | $2,340 | Both English and Turkish |
| Gaziantep | 1 (Hasan Kalyoncu University) | $2,250 | Both English and Turkish |
| Bursa | 1 (Mudanya University) | $2,800 | Turkish only, and only one program published |
| Izmir | 1 (Yaşar University) | No program with published tuition yet | — |
These figures come from our current partner-university list. Check the exact tuition for your target program separately on the pricing page — as the table shows, the spread between a university's cheapest and most expensive program can be several times over.
Istanbul: the most choice, not necessarily the cheapest
33 of our 44 mainland-Turkey partner universities are in Istanbul — the highest concentration of program and university choice by far. But Istanbul's tuition floor, $1,300 a year at Istanbul Kent University, sits above Ankara's. One other Istanbul university quotes tuition in euros rather than dollars; when comparing the two currencies, don't forget to convert at the current rate.
The practical takeaway: if "most options" is your priority, Istanbul is still the right city. If "lowest tuition" is the priority, it's worth looking beyond it.
Ankara: seven universities, a lower floor than Istanbul
Ankara, with 7 partner universities, is our second-largest concentration of choice, and its tuition floor — $1,000 a year at Ankara Science University — is the lowest figure in our entire directory, not just in Ankara. Also worth knowing: all 7 Ankara universities offer at least one English-taught program, so contrary to a common assumption, Ankara isn't short on English-medium options.
Antalya and Gaziantep: one university, a real catalogue
Antalya and Gaziantep each have exactly one partner university — Antalya Bilim University and Hasan Kalyoncu University, respectively — but each carries a sizeable catalogue: Antalya Bilim publishes 55 programs (20 English-taught, 35 Turkish-taught), and Hasan Kalyoncu publishes 49 (10 English-taught, 39 Turkish-taught). "One university in this city" doesn't mean limited choice; it means one university with a wide catalogue.
Bursa and Izmir: our list here is still thin, and we'll say so plainly
In Bursa, our only partner university (Mudanya University) has published exactly one program in its current list — a Turkish-taught diploma at $2,800. In Izmir, our only partner (Yaşar University) has no program with published tuition in our list yet. We're saying that as it is, not dressing it up: if Bursa or Izmir is your target, we check the current status of these two universities' programs — or of other universities in those cities we don't yet partner with — directly in a free consultation.
What this table doesn't show
Tuition is one line item, not the whole picture. Cost of living — rent, food, transport — also varies by city; per our living-costs guide, that typically runs $350–$600 a month in smaller Turkish cities, against $450–$750 in Istanbul, mostly due to rent. But that figure is for "smaller cities" as a group, not broken out city by city. We also have no data to rank safety or the size of the Iranian student community by city, and we make no claim about either — those are things to go through in a free consultation for the specific city you're weighing.
North Cyprus isn't part of this table either: 10 of our other partner universities are there, in Nicosia, Kyrenia, Famagusta and Lefke, with tuition in euros and a separate visa track. The full comparison for that destination is in the guide to studying in North Cyprus.
Homa Study's role in this decision
Whichever city you choose, our service is the same and it's free: reviewing your file, choosing a university and program that fit your city and budget, preparing and submitting documents, and following through to the acceptance letter. You typically get acceptance letters from three different universities at once — the full breakdown of that model is in free offer letters from three universities — and you can weigh different cities across those same three options. You pay tuition directly into the university's own account; our fee is paid by the partner university after the student enrolls, never by you.
Frequently asked questions
Is tuition in other Turkish cities really lower than Istanbul?
Istanbul's tuition floor is $1,300 a year (Istanbul Kent University), while Ankara's floor is $1,000 (Ankara Science University) — so the lowest floor in our whole directory isn't in Istanbul at all. But that single figure isn't the whole decision: at single-university cities like Antalya or Gaziantep, that one number is essentially the full range you're choosing from. Check the exact tuition for your target program separately on the [pricing page](/en/pricing).
Does choosing a university outside Istanbul cost anything through Homa Study?
No, regardless of which city you choose. Reviewing your file, choosing a university and program, preparing and submitting documents, and following through to the acceptance letter are free for the student. You pay tuition directly into the university's own account, and our fee is paid by the partner university after the student enrolls — never by you.
Are English-taught programs available in Ankara, Antalya, Gaziantep or Bursa?
In Ankara, clearly yes: all 7 partner universities there offer at least one English-taught program. Antalya and Gaziantep's partner universities (Antalya Bilim University and Hasan Kalyoncu University) also list English-taught programs. In Bursa, though, our only partner there — Mudanya University — has published just one Turkish-taught diploma program, with no English-taught option in the current list.
Why is there only one partner university in Antalya, Gaziantep, Bursa and Izmir?
Because our partner list is limited to universities whose YÖK license we've verified and with whom we hold a formal agreement — not every university that exists in that city. We currently have one partner in each of these four cities; in Izmir (Yaşar University), even that one partner has no program with published tuition in our list yet. If another university in one of these cities interests you, we check it directly with the university in a free consultation.
Is the cost of living lower in smaller Turkish cities too?
According to our [living-costs guide](/en/guides/living-costs), a student's typical monthly cost (rent, food, transport) in smaller Turkish cities runs about $350–$600, against $450–$750 in Istanbul — mostly due to lower rent. That guide gives the range for "smaller cities" as a group, not broken out city by city; we go through the specific figure for your target city in a free consultation.
Are the North Cyprus universities part of this comparison?
Not in this post. North Cyprus is geographically and visa-wise separate from Turkey, and 10 of our other partner universities are there, across Nicosia, Kyrenia, Famagusta and Lefke. This post compares only Turkey's six cities; the full North Cyprus comparison is in the [guide to studying in North Cyprus](/en/guides/studying-in-north-cyprus).