Turkey vs Thailand
Cost of Living

Turkey is now broadly comparable to or cheaper than Thailand for expats earning euros or dollars. The Turkish lira's depreciation has made rents and local services extremely cheap. Thailand's advantage used to be clear, but imported goods in Thailand are expensive, and rental prices in popular expat areas like Phuket and Koh Samui have risen. For a European expat, Turkey offers similar or better value with the significant advantage of being only 3–4 hours from home.

Turkey's e-Visa gives most nationalities 90 days per 180 days, with a straightforward residence permit process for longer stays. Thailand has been tightening visa rules: tourist visas give 30–60 days, and the "visa run" approach has become more scrutinised. Thailand's official retirement visa (Non-Immigrant O-A) requires proof of 800,000 THB in a Thai bank account or monthly income of 65,000 THB. Turkey's residence permit process is generally simpler.

Both countries have world-class private hospitals. Thailand's Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok is one of the world's most internationally recognised medical tourism destinations. Turkey's private hospital sector (Acıbadem, Memorial, Turkish American hospitals) is also excellent. For expats outside Bangkok, Thai healthcare quality drops; Turkey's coastal cities maintain good private hospital access.

Both are popular nomad destinations. Thailand (particularly Chiang Mai) has a longer history as a nomad hub with extensive coworking infrastructure. Turkey (Istanbul, Antalya) is growing fast with better internet reliability and European time zone alignment. For those working with European clients, Turkey's time zone (UTC+3) is a major advantage over Thailand (UTC+7).