Remote work in Istanbul
Work remotely. Belong locally.
Smileys brings practical arrival help, remote-work know-how and an offline community together — so within a few days you know where to work, where to live, what to set up, and who to spend time with.
Local time in Istanbul is UTC+3 (Europe/Istanbul)
Your first 72 hours
Five things to sort out, in roughly this order. Each links to the page that answers it.
Get connected
Sort out a SIM or eSIM on day one, and home internet if you are staying a while.
Read the SIM and internet guideChoose a neighbourhood
Where you stay decides your commute, your cafés and who is around in the evening.
Compare neighbourhoodsFind somewhere to work
Members run regular coworking sessions — a desk, some company, and people to have lunch with.
See coworking sessionsSort money and transport
How to pay, how to get a local account if you need one, and the card that gets you on transit.
Read the money guideJoin a first event
Pick something marked first-timer friendly, or a coworking session, and show up.
See upcoming events
The practical side
From the Smileys Handbook — written by members who lived it.
SIM, eSIM and home internet
- Getting a SIM Card and Home Internet in Türkiye
Links official sources
Housing and neighbourhoods
- Renting an Apartment in Istanbul: What Foreigners Should Know
Links official sources
- Daily Life in Istanbul: The little things that make a big difference
Last reviewed 10 August 2026
Banking and money
- Opening a Bank Account in Istanbul
Links official sources
- Opening a Turkish bank account as a foreigner
Links official sources
Getting around
- Istanbulkart Mastery: The only ticket that matters
Links official sources
Visas and residence
- Getting Your Residence Permit (İkamet) in Istanbul
Links official sources
- Residence Permit (Ikamet): Your first application, without the panic
Last reviewed 10 August 2026 · Links official sources
Work and meet people
Coworking sessions, remote-work clubs, and events marked first-timer friendly.
Coworking
296 club members
Next: Coworking Kadıköy
Digital Nomads
42 club members
Remote Workers
35 club members
Newcomers
15 club members
Land with people, not just a laptop.
Joining is free. You only pay for events you choose, and the price is shown before you RSVP.