How Much Does Therapy Costs in Istanbul, Turkey? 2025 Guide

What therapy costs in Istanbul in 2026

Turkey's system forks on one question: which profession do you need? A psychiatrist is covered by SGK: a state or university hospital psychiatry appointment costs the examination co-payment of 26 TL at second-level providers and education and research hospitals, and nothing at first-level providers. A psychologist is not covered: Turkish clinical psychologists sit outside SGK billing, so a private psychology session is paid in full.

These are guiding estimates. Therapists set their own fees. Advertised private psychology sessions in Istanbul run roughly 2,000 to 6,000 TL. That range is based on prices found advertised on multiple blogs, not official authoritative sources. Use with caution.

Worth knowing about the co-payment

You will read that state psychiatry is "completely free" with SGK cover. SGK's own published rules say otherwise: the examination co-payment exists, at 26 TL for second-level and research hospitals, waived at first-level providers and for conditions on the chronic-disease exemption list where documented with a health report. Small in money; worth stating precisely because the round claim spreads.

What this means in practice

• If you may need medication or psychiatric assessment, the public route costs a few tens of lira. Start with a first-level provider or a state hospital psychiatry clinic.
• If you want talking therapy with a psychologist, budget for the full private fee, and ask directly: the fee, the session length, whether a reduced-fee or trainee place exists, and whether online sessions cost less.
• University hospital psychiatry departments combine both worlds and are reached through the same SGK route.

If you need someone now

In an emergency call 112.

Sources

• SGK, Muayene Katılım Payı: the examination co-payment levels and exemptions, in the institution's own rules.

Reviewed July 2026. The co-payment is from SGK's own published rules. The private band is advertised pricing, labelled accordingly. We do not publish price lists we cannot trace to sources that charge them.