ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $922 in Thailand versus $1,078 in Turkey.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $1,554 in Thailand versus $1,674 in Turkey.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,185 in Thailand versus $2,270 in Turkey.
ðLiving in Thailand costs about 14% less than in Turkey on average.
ðBoth countries sit below the global median: Thailand31% lower, Turkey19% lower.
ðInternal cost variation is higher in Thailand: monthly costs span $636 to $2,075, compared to $858â$1,721 in Turkey. City choice carries more weight in Thailand.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.12āļŋ101
$9.09âš410
-65.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.65āļŋ899
$38.58âš1,740
-28.33%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.75āļŋ220
$7.96âš359
-15.20%
Cappuccino
$2.11āļŋ68.5
$3.17âš143
-33.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71āļŋ23.05
$1.33âš60.0
-46.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34āļŋ11.07
$0.48âš21.86
-29.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.17āļŋ70.7
$3.57âš161
-39.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75āļŋ122
$4.52âš204
-17.04%
ð Groceries & Markets
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.81āļŋ58.7
$0.98âš44.22
84.69%
White Bread(500g)
$1.42āļŋ46.29
$0.76âš34.25
86.84%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.33āļŋ43.13
$2.17âš97.6
-38.71%
Eggs
$2.09āļŋ68.0
$2.34âš105
-10.68%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.88āļŋ549
$9.58âš432
76.20%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01āļŋ97.9
$5.69âš257
-47.10%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.48āļŋ341
$19.38âš874
-45.92%
Apples(1kg)
$3.04āļŋ98.7
$1.38âš62.4
120.29%
Banana(1kg)
$1.37āļŋ44.57
$2.30âš104
-40.43%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.01āļŋ65.3
$1.21âš54.6
66.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.61āļŋ52.2
$1.53âš69.0
5.23%
Potato(1kg)
$1.49āļŋ48.36
$0.76âš34.38
96.05%
Onion(1kg)
$1.33āļŋ43.15
$0.61âš27.64
118.03%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.18āļŋ38.33
$1.00âš45.03
18.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53āļŋ17.34
$0.50âš22.62
6.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.40āļŋ143
$2.12âš95.6
107.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.93āļŋ583
$10.91âš492
64.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77āļŋ57.6
$2.13âš96.0
-16.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96āļŋ96.3
$2.86âš129
3.50%
ð Getting Around
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.74āļŋ24.02
$0.72âš32.44
2.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$32.73āļŋ1,064
$44.87âš2,023
-27.06%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.21āļŋ39.49
$1.06âš47.60
14.15%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.14āļŋ37.22
$0.66âš29.55
72.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.26āļŋ204
$7.44âš336
-15.86%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30āļŋ42.11
$1.22âš54.9
6.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9Kāļŋ971.3K
$43.1Kâš1.9M
-30.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.7Kāļŋ934.0K
$43.0Kâš1.9M
-33.20%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$78.4āļŋ2,548
$69.4âš3,128
12.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.75āļŋ447
$10.93âš493
25.80%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.04āļŋ587
$13.73âš619
31.39%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.57āļŋ1,611
$48.89âš2,205
1.39%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.05āļŋ327
$18.01âš812
-44.20%
Cinema Ticket
$7.58āļŋ246
$6.52âš294
16.26%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$408āļŋ13.3K
$631âš28.4K
-35.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.6Kāļŋ410.2K
$13.0Kâš585.0K
-2.74%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.53āļŋ1,578
$53.7âš2,422
-9.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.42āļŋ1,086
$43.75âš1,972
-23.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$97.1āļŋ3,158
$108âš4,856
-9.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.4āļŋ2,450
$97.1âš4,379
-22.42%
ð Accommodation & Living
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$489āļŋ15.9K
$628âš28.3K
-22.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$265āļŋ8,621
$459âš20.7K
-42.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,207āļŋ39.2K
$1,152âš51.9K
4.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$666āļŋ21.6K
$720âš32.5K
-7.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,908āļŋ127.0K
$1,729âš78.0K
126.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,031āļŋ66.0K
$1,104âš49.8K
83.90%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$608āļŋ19.8K
$1,069âš48.2K
-43.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.68
42.38
-86.60%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Thailand: April 27, 2026
Last update for Turkey: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð National rent averages: $454 in Thailand, $527 in Turkey. Capital cities: $683 in Bangkok vs $729 in Ankara.
ð°National salary averages: $666 in Thailand, $1,041 in Turkey. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money â weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
âRent is 16% higher in Turkey.
âPublic transport is 288% more expensive in Turkey.
âSalaries are 56% 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
Thailand vs Turkey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Thailand compare to Turkey?
At $1,356 per month in Thailand and $1,290 in Turkey, there's a 5% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city â the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Thailand vs Turkey?
Turkey 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.
Is rent more expensive in Thailand or Turkey?
Rent in Thailand beats Turkey across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Can you live in both Thailand and Turkey on $2,000 per month?
In Turkey, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Thailand, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital â you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: Thailand or Turkey?
It depends on what you're after. Turkey wins on affordability; Thailand may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.