I Left NYC for Istanbul — Now I Bring In $164K a Year

   

Why I left New York

I moved from New York City on a one way flight in January 2021. I had been working in Walmart corporate e-commerce after graduating college in 2018 and was in charge of a single product category on the website. When a huge mass layoff hit at the start of the pandemic, I was laid off along with hundreds of others. I had just started a YouTube channel as a side hobby, and after losing that job I decided to see where this new path would take me.

I was not unhappy in the U.S. I enjoyed my life in New York, but I had an insatiable hunger to see the world. Full time travel felt right for a while, but eventually I wanted a home base, a place where I could know people, run a business, and still be well positioned for travel across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Istanbul felt like the perfect spot. It is pretty much the center of the world for what I do.

How I earn a living

In 2024 my combined business revenue from YouTube and a boutique tourism company was $164,000. That breaks down roughly as follows:

• Tour business: about $100,000 in revenue
• YouTube and sponsors: about $64,000 in revenue

Across both segments, my personal income for the year came to about $84,000. YouTube AdSense alone contributed a little over $17,000 in 2024, which is not enough to live off of by itself. That is one of the reasons I expanded into running small group tours.

What the tour business looks like

I run a small boutique tourism company that takes groups of about 8 to 10 people on cultural immersion tours in countries that traditionally get very few tourists. In 2024 we ran five group tours in total. Destinations include places such as Iraq, Syria, and Pakistan. These are trips designed to be authentic, immersive, and off the typical tourist trail.

Running tours to these regions comes with unique challenges and responsibilities. There are logistical hurdles like extreme summer heat in parts of the Middle East, and in many areas a lack of built tourism infrastructure. There is also the perceived risk around political instability or recent conflict. To manage that risk we work only with the best local guides: people who are well connected and deeply informed about local conditions. In some cases we have had to make judgment calls and change plans when nearby events escalated.

The biggest recurring expenses on tours are paying local guides and booking hotels. Those costs are essential to delivering the level of authenticity and safety we promise to guests.

Life in Istanbul

I live in Kadikoy on the Asian side of Istanbul with my girlfriend Ilkay. We pay 55,000 Turkish lira per month for a two bedroom, two and a half bath apartment. I have a small desk and monitor where I edit videos, and many of the photos on our walls are drone shots from travels that I like to print on canvas. The apartment has a terrace where we can look across the Bosphorus and see the European side of Istanbul. That view never gets old.

Before I settled into this place, my life was full time travel. I wanted a home base to have friends, know the barista at a coffee shop, and feel more grounded. Istanbul gives me that while still keeping me perfectly positioned to run a business focused on the Middle East and nearby regions.

Residence permit and language

I hold a short term residence permit in Turkey that is valid for one year and is renewable. It took me three attempts to secure it after being rejected twice. Learning Turkish has been another meaningful part of settling here. Turkish is not commonly taught everywhere, so when you speak even a few words people are often impressed. Improving my language skills has made daily life more comfortable and contributed to feeling at home.

Cost of living and currency changes

When I first moved here, the exchange rate was about 12 Turkish lira to the dollar. About three years later, one dollar was worth about 40 Turkish lira. That change has driven up prices in Istanbul, making the city significantly more expensive even with the currency conversion advantage that once existed.

Examples from day to day:

• Two cans of tuna for 329 Turkish lira
• Fifteen eggs for 124 Turkish lira
• A shared meal for two that I mentioned totaled about 1,330 Turkish lira including an extra dish called shirdan

Because of these changes, the cost of living advantage I moved here for is not what it used to be. That said, my combined income still affords a lifestyle here that would be tougher to maintain on the same income in New York City.

The rewards and what keeps me motivated

Living in Istanbul has made me more independent and more confident. I enjoy walking into a shop and getting by on basic Turkish. The city is also an incredible travel hub. From here you can reach Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa easily, which is critical for a business centered on travel in those regions.

Beyond geography, the hospitality in the places we visit on tours is one of the most meaningful parts of the work. The tours that go to countries with fewer tourists often deliver the most genuine experiences, precisely because the tourism infrastructure is not built up. That authenticity is powerful, but it also requires humility, careful planning, and trusted local partnerships.

Family, home, and perspective

My family is proud of what I have done. They miss me, and I miss them too. They would love for me to move back to be closer, but they understand that this is where I want to be right now. I did not set out to become a YouTuber for fame. I wanted a way to afford a life of travel and meaningful work. Building multiple income streams around content and real-world travel experiences has allowed me to do that.

Practical takeaways

1. Diversify income if you want to make travel sustainable. AdSense alone will rarely be enough.
2. Work with trusted local partners when operating tours in unfamiliar or underdeveloped destinations.
3. Pick a home base that aligns with your travel and business needs. Location matters.
4. Learn the local language even if it is just a few phrases. It pays dividends in daily life and relationships.
5. Be prepared for currency and cost of living shifts. What feels affordable today can change quickly.

"I didn't even want to be a YouTuber, per se. I just wanted to find a way to afford the lifestyle, to be able to travel and see the world."

Leaving New York and building a life in Istanbul has not always been easy. There have been rejections, unexpected expenses, and logistical headaches. But the independence, the perspective, and the ability to build a business that funds travel have made it worth it. If you are thinking about a similar path, plan for multiple revenue streams, invest in local relationships, and be ready to adapt as circumstances change.