Your Expat Community in Izmir

Getting to Know Izmir, the Expat Way

Izmir is well known for its excellent schools, hospitals, and beautiful waterside location. It is a university city — there are seven different universities in the city itself and two more just beyond, bringing with them all the energy and vibrancy you'd expect from a student population — where great food, shopping malls, cinemas, and theaters can easily be found. It also means job opportunities for qualified expats, as many Turkish universities are English speaking. Regardless of this, many students are keen to improve their English, which provides another working opportunity. Other than teaching, Izmir is famous as a port city, making it an economic hub for freight, trade, and exporting. Many in the city cultivate products for export, such as olives, figs, grapes, and tobacco. The city has a much calmer pace of life than Istanbul, but is certainly not lacking in culture. On your days off, you are just a stone's throw from biblical Ephesus, Pamukkale, and Hierapolis, and the Aegean's best beaches. Most of the population is Muslim, but Izmir's unique mix of Greek, Armenian, and Jewish history lends it a much more Mediterranean feel than the rest of Turkey and explains its more liberal politics.

InterNations is the largest global network for expatriates, with communities in 420 cities around the world. Meet fellow global minds in your city of residence or get to know local expatriates before you're moving or traveling abroad and never feel like a stranger. InterNations makes it easy for you to stay in touch with your expat friends, both online and offline, so you can grow your network of friends and contacts from all over the world. Whether they live in Brussels or Singapore, InterNations allows you to be close to them even if they are miles away.

Become a Part of Our Network of Expatriates in Izmir

The InterNations Izmir Community has members from across the world, from Australia to Germany and India, who all go through a careful approval process and respect our guiding principles. Making friends is one of the best ways to feel at home in a new place, so join one of Izmir's many groups — there are groups dedicated to photography, dance, local cooking, excursions, and even board games. There really is something for everyone and they're sure to excite you about life in Izmir. You can also attend our larger social and networking events, open to the entire community.