1+1, 2+1, 3+1: how to read Turkish apartment layouts

The first thing that trips up anyone browsing Turkish rental listings is the notation: “1+1”, “2+1”, “3+1”. It looks like a formula, but it is a simple, logical system you get used to in about five minutes. Here is what it means, and which layout fits which kind of stay.

In short: how the notation works

The first number is the count of separate bedrooms. The second is the living room — salon in Turkish. There is almost always exactly one, which is why the number after the plus is nearly always 1.

• 1+1 — one bedroom plus a living room
• 2+1 — two bedrooms plus a living room
• 3+1 — three bedrooms plus a living room
• 1+0 — a studio: one living space with no separate bedroom

The kitchen, bathroom and balcony are not counted — they are assumed. So a “1+1” is a two-room apartment, not a one-room one. That is the single most common misreading, and it makes people filter out places that would have suited them.

What the salon is, and why it matters

The living room in a Turkish apartment is not a corridor between other rooms. It is usually the largest space in the flat, with access to the balcony, and the kitchen often opens onto it or is separated by a counter.

The practical consequence for a long stay: in a 1+1 the living room works as a second room. You can host there, put a desk in it, unfold the sofa for a visiting friend. It is not a studio with extra steps.

What that is in square metres

The same notation does not guarantee the same size — the spread within one layout can be considerable. Our seven Alanya apartments show how much:

1+1 — from 44 to 58 m²

• Cleopatra Littore N13 — 44 m², the most compact
• Antares Hill N17 — 50 m²
• TSI ObaGol N12 — 57 m²
• Sonas Loft N56 — 58 m²

Fourteen square metres between the first and the last — nearly a third — behind an identical “1+1” line in the listing.

2+1 — from 94 to 100 m²

• Alaiye Boutique N38 — 94 m²
• Alaiye Boutique N37 — 96 m²
• TSI ObaGol N23 — 100 m²

The takeaway is simple: the notation describes the room count, not the size. Always check the floor area separately.

Which layout suits whom

1+1 works for a couple or a single person on a long stay. Ours sleep three: the bedroom plus a sofa bed in the living room. If you work remotely on your own, a desk fits in the living room without a fight.

2+1 is for a family with children, two couples, or a couple where both work remotely. The second bedroom solves the real problem of two people sharing a flat for months: being able to shut a door and take a call without disturbing the other. Ours sleep five.

3+1 and larger are usually taken by big families or groups staying several months. We don’t have one in the catalogue right now — if you need it, say so and we’ll ask around among friends.

What to check besides the layout

The notation is only the first filter. After it, ask about:

• The actual floor area. As above, “1+1” can mean 44 m² or 58 m².
• How many people it sleeps. Not always the room count — the living-room sofa often unfolds.
• Floor and lift. Alanya is built on slopes, and a fifth floor without a lift feels different in August than in January.
• The distance to the sea in metres. Not “a district by the sea” but metres from the door: ours range from 150 to 1,500.
• Furnishing. Long-term rentals in Turkey normally come furnished and equipped (eşyalı), but it is worth confirming what exactly is included.

How it plays out

Briefly: take a 1+1 if there are two of you and a second room isn’t essential; take a 2+1 if you need a door that closes. The price gap between them in our catalogue is noticeable, and it is mostly about floor area rather than the “class” of the apartment.

At ForBuddy we only rent out our own apartments and those of friends, so we can tell you honestly about each one: how many metres it really is, which way the windows face, whether the sofa unfolds, and whether there is room for a desk. Message us and we’ll give you a straight answer. Other common questions are collected here.