Istanbul housing and COLA at a glance
Istanbul, Turkey (DoD locality TR005).
An E-5 with dependents can rent up to $2,094 a month (103,190 TRY) and receives $129 for utilities and maintenance, $2,223 a month in total OHA at the ceiling. With two dependents and 6 years of service, COLA adds about $352 a month. Both are tax-free.
OHA rent ceilings for every grade
OHA reimburses your actual rent up to the ceiling for your grade, so renting below it means a smaller payment, not money kept. Without dependents, the ceiling is 90% of the with-dependents figure.
| Grade | With deps | Without deps | Ceiling (TRY) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,896 | $1,707 | 93,458 TRY |
| E-2 | $1,896 | $1,707 | 93,458 TRY |
| E-3 | $1,896 | $1,707 | 93,458 TRY |
| E-4 | $1,896 | $1,707 | 93,458 TRY |
| E-5 | $2,094 | $1,884 | 103,190 TRY |
| E-6 | $2,317 | $2,085 | 114,176 TRY |
| E-7 | $2,317 | $2,085 | 114,176 TRY |
| E-8 | $2,317 | $2,085 | 114,176 TRY |
| E-9 | $2,540 | $2,286 | 125,162 TRY |
| W-1 | $2,094 | $1,884 | 103,190 TRY |
| W-2 | $2,317 | $2,085 | 114,176 TRY |
| W-3 | $2,540 | $2,286 | 125,162 TRY |
| W-4 | $2,540 | $2,286 | 125,162 TRY |
| W-5 | $2,768 | $2,492 | 136,445 TRY |
| O-1E | $2,317 | $2,085 | 114,176 TRY |
| O-2E | $2,317 | $2,085 | 114,176 TRY |
| O-3E | $2,540 | $2,286 | 125,162 TRY |
| O-1 | $2,094 | $1,884 | 103,190 TRY |
| O-2 | $2,094 | $1,884 | 103,190 TRY |
| O-3 | $2,317 | $2,085 | 114,176 TRY |
| O-4 | $2,540 | $2,286 | 125,162 TRY |
| O-5 | $2,768 | $2,492 | 136,445 TRY |
| O-6 | $2,997 | $2,698 | 147,725 TRY |
Utilities and move-in
- Utility/recurring maintenance allowance: $129 a month with dependents, $97 without (6,349 TRY with dependents).
- Move-in housing allowance (MIHA) miscellaneous: $324, paid once when you sign a lease (15,984 TRY).
Rent ceilings effective 16 July 2026. Converted at DTMO's pay-system rate of 1 TRY = $0.02029 (October 1, 2026). DTMO revises it on the 1st and 16th of each month, so the dollar amount moves even when the ceiling does not.
COLA in Istanbul
The COLA index here is 112 (effective December 16, 2025), meaning goods and services cost about 12% more than in the U.S. COLA is paid on top of base pay and OHA. Estimated monthly COLA by grade and number of dependents:
| Grade (YOS) | No deps | 1 dep | 2 deps | 3 deps | 4 deps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-3 (2 yrs) | $317 | $334 | $352 | $370 | $387 |
| E-4 (4 yrs) | $317 | $334 | $352 | $370 | $387 |
| E-5 (6 yrs) | $317 | $334 | $352 | $370 | $387 |
| E-6 (10 yrs) | $317 | $334 | $352 | $370 | $387 |
| E-7 (14 yrs) | $317 | $334 | $352 | $370 | $387 |
| E-8 (18 yrs) | $339 | $358 | $377 | $396 | $415 |
| E-9 (22 yrs) | $383 | $404 | $425 | $446 | $468 |
| W-2 (8 yrs) | $317 | $334 | $352 | $370 | $387 |
| O-2 (3 yrs) | $329 | $347 | $365 | $383 | $402 |
| O-3 (6 yrs) | $361 | $381 | $401 | $421 | $441 |
| O-4 (12 yrs) | $413 | $436 | $459 | $482 | $505 |
| O-5 (18 yrs) | $462 | $487 | $513 | $539 | $564 |
| O-6 (22 yrs) | $506 | $534 | $562 | $590 | $618 |
Estimates use 2026 base pay at the years of service shown and DTMO's spendable-income table (CY2026 tables (effective Feb 1, 2026)). COLA = spendable income × (index − 100) ÷ 100 ÷ 12. Members without dependents living in government quarters receive a reduced rate. Run your exact grade, years of service and dependents in the OCONUS COLA calculator.
How Istanbul compares
The COLA index of 112 is the 3rd-highest of 4 Turkey localities DTMO prices for OHA, and in the bottom 19% of the 624 locations worldwide that pay COLA.
Its E-5 rent ceiling ranks 1st of 5 in Turkey, the highest in the country.
Where the ceiling steps up with rank (with dependents): enlisted $1,896 for E-1 to E-4, $2,094 at E-5 (+$198), $2,317 from E-6 to E-8 (+$223), and $2,540 at E-9 (+$223); officers $2,094 for O-1 to O-2, $2,317 at O-3 (+$223), $2,540 at O-4 (+$223), $2,768 at O-5 (+$228), and $2,997 at O-6 (+$229). A promotion that lands before you sign a lease raises what you can rent.
At the ceiling, an E-5 with two dependents draws about $2,575 a month here in OHA and COLA combined, tax-free. The same member receives $2,061 in BAH at the median U.S. housing area. Treat that as a rough guide: OHA pays your actual rent rather than a flat amount, and COLA exists because everyday prices here run higher.
How these rates have moved
The COLA index has held at 112 since December 16, 2025.
Exchange rate: DTMO's pay-system rate was 1 TRY = $0.021167 on July 16, 2026 and $0.02029 on October 1, 2026 (−4.1%). The E-5 ceiling of 103,190 TRY is worth $2,094 today against $2,184 then, so the dollar amount on your LES fell by $90 a month without the ceiling itself changing.
From DTMO's published COLA indices and OHA exchange rates as recorded by this site each pay period.
Other Turkey localities
E-5 with dependents. Your OHA follows the locality of your duty station, so these apply only if you are assigned there.
| Locality | OHA rent ceiling | COLA index |
|---|---|---|
| Ankara | $1,617 | 106 |
| Incirlik AB (Adana) | $480 | — |
| Izmir | $1,598 | 114 |
| Other (Turkey) | $416 | 114 |
Using these numbers
- Your exact OHA by grade and dependents: OHA calculator. Your exact COLA: OCONUS COLA calculator.
- Planning the move: PCS calculator for DLA, per diem and weight allowance.
- Coming home: COLA stops the day you leave. The COLA trap shows how to plan for it.
Sources: DTMO OHA rate tables and OCONUS COLA indices, refreshed each pay period. Estimates for planning; your finance office's figure is the one that pays.