🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $958 in Thailand versus $1,013 in Turkey.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,565 in Thailand versus $1,579 in Turkey.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,171 in Thailand versus $2,144 in Turkey.
🌍Living in Thailand costs about 5% less than in Turkey on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Thailand 30% lower, Turkey 26% lower.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Thailand: monthly costs span $630 to $2,179, compared to $650–$1,707 in Turkey. City choice carries more weight in Thailand.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.08฿103
$9.40₺457
-67.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.18฿907
$41.48₺2,018
-34.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.57฿219
$8.58₺418
-23.43%
Cappuccino
$2.11฿70.3
$3.73₺181
-43.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66฿21.87
$1.46₺71.0
-54.79%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34฿11.21
$0.50₺24.26
-32.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.14฿71.6
$3.72₺181
-42.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67฿123
$4.42₺215
-16.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.85฿61.7
$1.07₺52.1
72.90%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36฿45.42
$1.03₺50.3
32.04%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.32฿44.22
$2.18₺106
-39.45%
Eggs
$2.07฿69.2
$2.24₺109
-7.59%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.36฿546
$9.78₺476
67.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.94฿98.0
$4.54₺221
-35.24%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.96฿366
$20.50₺998
-46.54%
Apples(1kg)
$3.01฿100
$1.83₺89.2
64.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.30฿43.34
$2.03₺99.0
-35.96%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.12฿70.8
$1.06₺51.4
100.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.82฿60.8
$1.39₺67.5
30.94%
Potato(1kg)
$1.44฿48.12
$0.57₺27.64
152.63%
Onion(1kg)
$1.28฿42.85
$0.42₺20.38
204.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.14฿38.16
$0.98₺47.93
16.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50฿16.84
$0.68₺32.86
-26.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43฿148
$2.21₺108
100.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.61฿521
$11.95₺582
30.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72฿57.3
$2.23₺109
-22.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74฿91.6
$2.85₺139
-3.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.91฿30.53
$0.83₺40.51
9.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.62฿1,155
$41.06₺1,998
-15.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.23฿40.99
$1.43₺69.5
-13.99%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.20฿40.15
$0.92₺44.55
30.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.94฿198
$7.82₺381
-24.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿45.40
$1.26₺61.5
7.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.1K฿1.1M
$42.5K₺2.1M
-24.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K฿910.8K
$41.5K₺2.0M
-34.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0฿2,803
$76.2₺3,708
10.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.48฿416
$10.42₺507
19.77%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.43฿615
$15.70₺764
17.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.36฿1,648
$53.7₺2,614
-8.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.68฿390
$20.43₺994
-42.83%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65฿222
$7.26₺353
-8.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$544฿18.1K
$701₺34.1K
-22.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.1K฿402.8K
$16.0K₺777.8K
-24.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4฿1,783
$52.1₺2,534
2.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.69฿1,091
$41.91₺2,039
-22.00%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.8฿3,031
$97.7₺4,752
-7.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.3฿2,746
$90.9₺4,421
-9.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$478฿16.0K
$600₺29.2K
-20.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$301฿10.1K
$423₺20.6K
-28.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,234฿41.2K
$980₺47.7K
25.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$688฿23.0K
$690₺33.6K
-0.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,479฿116.1K
$1,703₺82.8K
104.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,958฿65.3K
$1,082₺52.6K
80.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Thailand
Turkey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$561฿18.7K
$1,096₺53.3K
-48.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.71
41.91
-86.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Thailand: September 15, 2026
Last update for Turkey: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $481 in Thailand, $447 in Turkey. Capital cities: $691 in Bangkok vs $750 in Ankara.
💰National salary averages: $633 in Thailand, $1,052 in Turkey. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 8% higher in Thailand.
⭐Dining out costs 31% more in Turkey.
⭐Public transport is 200% more expensive in Turkey.
⭐Salaries are 66% higher in Turkey, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Turkey.
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 the cost in Turkey?
At $1,405 per month in Thailand and $1,179 in Turkey, there's a 19% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Thailand vs Turkey?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Turkey: 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 in Turkey?
Rent in Thailand is consistently higher than in 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 stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – 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.