Istanbul Loses Ground: Ankara Beats All in Rental Profits

Turkey’s real estate analytics platform Endeksa has released its latest report on the housing market, ranking the most attractive cities for rental profitability and return on investment.

At the top of the list sits Ankara, offering investors the highest rental yields nationwide. Şanlıurfa and Tekirdağ followed closely, while major hubs like İzmir also made it into the top 10.

Ankara Leads with Double-Digit Yields

• Ankara: Average rent ₺28,592, yield 10.47% – the only city to cross the 10% threshold, positioning it as Turkey’s most lucrative rental market.

• Şanlıurfa: Average rent ₺15,929, yield 8.76% – strong demand relative to property prices has elevated returns.

• Tekirdağ: Average rent ₺19,846, yield 8.71% – driven by industrial growth and proximity to Istanbul.

Full Top 10: Highest Rental Yields in Turkey

10. Hatay – ₺18,013 avg. rent | 7.91% yield

11. Denizli – ₺15,305 | 7.92%

12. Sakarya – ₺18,942 | 7.92%

13. Izmir – ₺27,660 | 7.96%

14. Eskişehir – ₺17,451 | 8.09%

15. Kahramanmaraş – ₺19,384 | 8.26%

16. Van – ₺16,352 | 8.37%

17. Tekirdağ – ₺19,846 | 8.71%

18. Şanlıurfa – ₺15,929 | 8.76%

19. Ankara – ₺28,592 | 10.47%

Market Context: Widening Gap Between Cities

While Ankara dominates rental yield rankings, Istanbul continues to see extreme property price hikes, with average prices surpassing ₺53,000 per square meter, according to related market data.

This widening gap underscores how investment returns are diverging: high-priced megacities like Istanbul offer lower rental profitability, while mid-sized and emerging cities provide stronger yields relative to costs.

Why It Matters

• Investors gain insight into where returns are maximized.

• Ankara’s performance highlights the impact of high rental demand relative to property prices.

• Emerging regions like Şanlıurfa and Van show strong potential for those seeking faster payback periods on real estate investments.