Cost of Living Comparison Between Laos and Turkey Cost of Living Comparison Between Laos and Turkey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $501 in Laos versus $1,081 in Turkey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $778 in Laos versus $1,676 in Turkey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,054 in Laos versus $2,271 in Turkey.

Living in Laos costs about 54% less than in Turkey on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Laos 63% lower, Turkey 19% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Laos
Turkey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.38 LAK 52.0K
$8.92 ₺410
-73.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.79 LAK 410.3K
$38.84 ₺1,784
-51.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 LAK 124.4K
$7.80 ₺358
-26.92%
Cappuccino
$1.65 LAK 36.0K
$3.18 ₺146
-48.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 LAK 14.5K
$1.26 ₺58.1
-47.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41 LAK 8,929
$0.49 ₺22.59
-16.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.32 LAK 28.7K
$3.63 ₺167
-63.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 LAK 33.4K
$4.65 ₺214
-67.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Laos
Turkey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 LAK 41.2K
$0.99 ₺45.66
90.91%
White Bread (500g)
$0.93 LAK 20.3K
$0.79 ₺36.44
17.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.06 LAK 23.1K
$2.13 ₺97.7
-50.23%
Eggs
$1.88 LAK 40.9K
$2.32 ₺107
-18.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$23.54 LAK 513.8K
$9.78 ₺449
140.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.77 LAK 126.0K
$5.70 ₺262
1.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.11 LAK 133.4K
$19.78 ₺909
-69.11%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 LAK 39.3K
$1.34 ₺61.6
34.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.36 LAK 29.6K
$2.19 ₺101
-37.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 LAK 45.8K
$1.18 ₺54.3
77.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 LAK 50.4K
$1.46 ₺67.1
58.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 LAK 35.2K
$0.76 ₺34.86
111.84%
Onion (1kg)
$1.07 LAK 23.4K
$0.61 ₺28.15
75.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 LAK 27.6K
$1.00 ₺45.86
26.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 LAK 10.6K
$0.51 ₺23.31
-3.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.96 LAK 42.8K
$2.21 ₺101
-11.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.48 LAK 228.8K
$10.87 ₺499
-3.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 LAK 23.4K
$2.15 ₺98.6
-50.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 LAK 25.3K
$2.82 ₺130
-58.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Laos
Turkey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.59 LAK 12.9K
$0.70 ₺32.26
-15.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$59.1 LAK 1.3M
$44.97 ₺2,066
31.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.61 LAK 35.1K
$1.06 ₺48.55
51.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.19 LAK 26.0K
$0.66 ₺30.23
80.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.78 LAK 104.4K
$7.61 ₺349
-37.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 LAK 28.5K
$1.19 ₺54.5
9.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K LAK 650.6M
$43.2K ₺2.0M
-30.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.0K LAK 632.7M
$43.4K ₺2.0M
-33.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Laos
Turkey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.3 LAK 1.9M
$69.3 ₺3,185
22.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.18 LAK 440.6K
$10.88 ₺500
85.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.50 LAK 251.0K
$14.03 ₺645
-18.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Laos
Turkey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 LAK 1.3M
$49.89 ₺2,292
18.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.86 LAK 171.5K
$18.02 ₺828
-56.38%
Cinema Ticket
$2.46 LAK 53.7K
$6.53 ₺300
-62.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Laos
Turkey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$312 LAK 6.8M
$626 ₺28.7K
-50.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,461 LAK 206.5M
$13.0K ₺596.0K
-27.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Laos
Turkey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 LAK 1.2M
$53.3 ₺2,448
-0.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$64.0 LAK 1.4M
$43.13 ₺1,982
48.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.9 LAK 1.7M
$108 ₺4,946
-29.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$53.4 LAK 1.2M
$95.7 ₺4,399
-44.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Laos
Turkey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$858 LAK 18.7M
$627 ₺28.8K
36.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 LAK 14.3M
$454 ₺20.9K
43.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,248 LAK 27.2M
$1,175 ₺54.0K
6.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,137 LAK 24.8M
$726 ₺33.3K
56.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,572 LAK 56.1M
$1,741 ₺80.0K
47.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$633 LAK 13.8M
$1,078 ₺49.5K
-41.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Laos
Turkey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$500 LAK 10.9M
$1,056 ₺48.5K
-52.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.12
42.38
-76.12%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Laos: May 31, 2026

Last update for Turkey: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $335 in Laos, $528 in Turkey. Capital cities: $859 in Vientiane vs $741 in Ankara.

National salary averages: $233 in Laos, $1,056 in Turkey. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 58% higher in Turkey.

Dining out costs 400% more in Turkey.

Public transport is 72% more expensive in Turkey.

Salaries are 353% higher in Turkey, giving Turkey stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Laos vs Turkey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Laos or Turkey?
At $786 per month in Laos and $1,299 in Turkey, there's a 65% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Laos or Turkey?
Laos is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Laos and Turkey?
Rent in Turkey beats Laos across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Laos vs Turkey?
In Laos, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Turkey, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Laos and Turkey?
It depends on what you're after. Laos wins on affordability; Turkey may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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