The True Cost of Setting Up an Office from Scratch: 2026 Guide

When starting a new business or designing your existing office from scratch, your first question is probably: What is the true cost of this endeavor? The sum of every item, from furniture to technical infrastructure, decoration to small touches, surprises most entrepreneurs. Moreover, these costs vary significantly from city to city and sector to sector.

Key Cost Items Determining Office Setup Cost

There are many different items that affect your budget when setting up an office from scratch. Categorizing them correctly helps you avoid surprise expenses. Here are the main cost items:

Rent and deposit: For a 100 square meter office in a central location in Ankara, monthly rent ranges between 25,000-60,000 TL as of 2026. The deposit is usually 2-3 months’ rent, and this constitutes a significant portion of your initial budget.

Renovation and flooring: Transforming a raw space into an office incurs a cost of 3,000-8,000 TL per square meter. Partition walls, electrical installation, network infrastructure, and flooring are the main components of this item.

Furniture: The Most Critical Budget Item for Turkey Office Furniture

Furniture accounts for approximately 30-40% of the office setup cost. Cutting corners here will cost much more in the long run. A non-ergonomic chair will come back to you as employee health problems and loss of productivity. Investing in quality Turkey office furniture is crucial.

For a 10-person office, the average furniture cost is distributed as follows: 5,000-15,000 TL per person for desks, 8,000-25,000 TL for ergonomic office chairs, 20,000-60,000 TL for a meeting table and chairs, and a total of 15,000-40,000 TL for storage units. The total furniture budget ranges from 150,000 TL to 500,000 TL, depending on quality preference.

Technology and Infrastructure Investment

A modern office cannot be imagined without a robust technological infrastructure. Computers, monitors, printers, network equipment, and software licenses constitute a significant expense. For a 10-person team, technology investment can range from 200,000-400,000 TL.

Internet infrastructure, security cameras, fire alarm system, and card access system should also not be forgotten. The installation cost of these systems is around 30,000-80,000 TL.

Overlooked Costs

Many entrepreneurs only calculate the large items when setting up an office. However, small items add up to a significant budget. Kitchen equipment, cleaning supplies, stationery, fire extinguishers, first aid kit, curtains or blinds, plants, and decorative items… These “small” items can easily amount to 20,000-50,000 TL.

For those who want to compare office and workplace setup costs in different countries, platforms like startup-cost.com provide detailed country-specific cost data; it might be surprising to see that Turkey is actually in a quite competitive position in this comparison.

Practical Recommendations for Budget Planning

First, allocate 15-20% of your total budget for unexpected expenses. Second, do not compromise on quality and ergonomics for furniture; this investment pays for itself many times over through employee health and productivity. Third, list all items in a single table to clearly see the total cost.

The total cost of setting up a mid-segment office for 10 people in Ankara, excluding rent, ranges approximately between 500,000-1,200,000 TL as of 2026. This figure may shift up or down depending on the sector and location preference.

Conclusion

Setting up an office is a significant investment, but with proper planning, you can keep this investment under control. Prioritizing quality and ergonomics in furniture selection will increase both employee satisfaction and business productivity in the long run. Proceed by itemizing your budget and always leave a contingency budget.