My Iraqi friends used to make $15-$20 a month when Saddam was in power. That's right; fifteen to twenety dollars a MONTH. They now make close to what you are saying the Turks make, and can now afford things like heater, AC, refrigerator, TV, VCR, etc. The used car industry is huge over there and it's ferry after ferry heading in.
God bless those poor folks.