Turkey savings rate reaches 54% amid income challenges

According to the 2026 second quarter Savings Trends Survey conducted by ING Türkiye in collaboration with NielsenIQ, the savings rate in Turkey stands at 54%. Approximately 46% of the population is unable to save, with 59% of those individuals citing insufficient income as the primary obstacle.

Other significant barriers to saving include mandatory payments and debts (21%), high utility bills for electricity, gas, and water (19%), credit card debt (18%), and rent payments (17%). Among those who do not currently save, only 23% plan to start saving in the near future.

For those who do save, the most common methods include gold and precious metals kept at home (40%), followed by foreign currency and Turkish Lira cash kept at home (38%). Other preferred tools include gold and precious metal accounts (24%), TL time deposit accounts (23%), and stock market investments (17%).

The survey also noted a record high in savings among women, reaching approximately 60%. The primary motivations for saving are investing for the future (34%) and creating a safety net against unexpected risks (26%).