According to a survey conducted by the Turkish Büro-Sen with 2,000 civil servants working in metropolitan and coastal cities, 55% of civil servants do not wish to continue working in big cities. The main reason cited is the increasing costs of living, particularly housing issues. The survey results revealed that every other civil servant expressed a desire to be transferred. Turkish Büro-Sen President Türkeş Güney, who analyzed the results, stated that 55.30% of civil servants would prefer to be transferred to Anatolia if given the opportunity. Among those seeking a transfer, 56.80% cited economic reasons as the primary motivation. Güney also mentioned that civil servants go to lengths such as arranging marriages of convenience and obtaining family reports to enable their transfer requests, resorting to unconventional methods.

The survey indicated that 74.2% of civil servants’ incomes are spent on food and rent, with Güney remarking that 37.1% goes to food expenses and 37.1% to rent, with an additional 5.9% on credit repayments, leaving them with minimal disposable income for leisure activities. Güney called for salary improvements for civil servants serving in metropolitan and coastal areas, emphasizing that the conditions make it challenging for them to make ends meet. He suggested urgent measures like metropolitan compensation and rental assistance. Additionally, Güney recommended that the government should take steps to address the housing shortage by constructing affordable, long-term housing options for civil servants, particularly through projects like TOKI.