😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,081 in Turkey versus $921 in Thailand.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,677 in Turkey versus $1,549 in Thailand.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,273 in Turkey versus $2,177 in Thailand.
🌍Living in Turkey is roughly 17% more expensive than in Thailand on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Turkey 19% lower, Thailand 31% lower.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Thailand: monthly costs span $619 to $2,121, compared to $877–$1,702 in Turkey. City choice carries more weight in Thailand.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turkey
Thailand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.66₺402
$3.13฿103
176.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.52₺1,788
$27.31฿895
41.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.02₺372
$6.87฿225
16.74%
Cappuccino
$3.23₺150
$2.14฿70.2
50.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29₺59.7
$0.68฿22.17
89.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45₺21.03
$0.34฿11.28
32.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.53₺164
$2.19฿71.9
61.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46₺207
$3.75฿123
18.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turkey
Thailand
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.03₺47.77
$1.88฿61.5
-45.21%
White Bread(500g)
$0.75₺34.90
$1.37฿44.99
-45.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.21₺103
$1.35฿44.18
63.70%
Eggs
$2.28₺106
$2.05฿67.3
11.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.98₺463
$17.27฿566
-42.21%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.77₺268
$3.02฿99.0
91.06%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.34₺898
$10.66฿349
81.43%
Apples(1kg)
$1.40₺65.0
$3.04฿99.7
-53.95%
Banana(1kg)
$2.19₺102
$1.34฿43.95
63.43%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.23₺57.2
$2.13฿69.7
-42.25%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.54₺71.6
$1.62฿53.2
-4.94%
Potato(1kg)
$0.75₺34.86
$1.52฿49.71
-50.66%
Onion(1kg)
$0.58₺27.01
$1.27฿41.76
-54.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.00₺46.54
$1.13฿36.97
-11.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47₺21.77
$0.48฿15.88
-2.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.10₺97.5
$4.34฿142
-51.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.62₺493
$15.10฿495
-29.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.08₺96.5
$1.81฿59.2
14.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92₺136
$3.03฿99.2
-3.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Turkey
Thailand
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.70₺32.71
$0.79฿25.94
-11.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.74₺2,123
$33.82฿1,108
35.25%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.06₺49.18
$1.24฿40.73
-14.52%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.60₺28.01
$1.16฿37.93
-48.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.76₺360
$6.01฿197
29.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.19₺55.0
$1.30฿42.44
-8.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.0K₺2.0M
$29.5K฿965.9K
49.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.2K₺2.0M
$28.4K฿929.4K
52.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turkey
Thailand
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.7₺3,280
$79.7฿2,612
-11.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.75₺499
$13.79฿452
-22.04%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.66₺634
$18.44฿604
-25.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turkey
Thailand
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$50.2₺2,328
$50.1฿1,641
0.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.79₺826
$10.08฿330
76.49%
Cinema Ticket
$6.30₺292
$7.24฿237
-12.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turkey
Thailand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$622₺28.9K
$405฿13.3K
53.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.6K₺585.3K
$12.7K฿414.9K
-0.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turkey
Thailand
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.1₺2,510
$48.04฿1,574
12.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.32₺2,011
$34.23฿1,122
26.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$107₺4,984
$96.1฿3,148
11.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.4₺4,381
$75.1฿2,459
25.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turkey
Thailand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$640₺29.7K
$495฿16.2K
29.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$451₺20.9K
$272฿8,924
65.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,182₺54.9K
$1,237฿40.5K
-4.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$715₺33.2K
$662฿21.7K
7.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,715₺79.6K
$3,563฿116.7K
-51.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,059₺49.1K
$2,044฿67.0K
-48.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turkey
Thailand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,048₺48.6K
$597฿19.6K
75.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
42.38
5.68
646.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Turkey: June 14, 2026
Last update for Thailand: June 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $526 in Turkey, $452 in Thailand. Capital cities: $743 in Ankara vs $673 in Bangkok.
💰National salary averages: $1,045 in Turkey, $661 in Thailand. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 16% higher in Turkey.
⭐Public transport is 288% more expensive in Turkey.
⭐Salaries are 58% 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
Turkey vs Thailand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Thailand compare to the cost in Turkey?
At $1,370 per month in Thailand and $1,290 in Turkey, there's a 6% 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.