@mnaghbash Well, I might not have the same reasons as the expats (I see a lot of people from Ireland, the UK and I guess Russia around here). I lived in a village close to the city center in Muğla before Kuşadası, and although nature was beyond beautiful, it was like the only thing you had. Very few people, few jobs, no cultural activities or, you know, no life outside of nature.
And before MuÄŸla, I used to live in Istanbul. So the peaceful environment was great for the first few years, but later it was a bit too quiet. And you have to have a car in most places in MuÄŸla to get around because public transport is a big problem. And I didn't drive so it was very difficult for me to get around. Going to the beach was a problem although we lived very close. It is a very expensive city, winters were harsher than it looked because we only had AC so it was damp, cold, and still expensive.
So I wanted to move to a place with some more people, more social life, cultural events, more shopping and service options, but definitely not as busy as Istanbul. It was somewhere in between for me. I chose Kuşadası because I wanted to live in a warm coastal town where I could afford to live within walking distance of the beach and supermarkets that are also open during the winter, someplace with good public transport but still has natural beauty. I also consider it to be a less earthquake-prone area within the coastal region. What's more, it is an hour's drive away from İzmir, which is great if you need to enjoy the big city, go shopping, or visit a big hospital in case of health problems. A place with gas was also one of my priorities because I am almost allergic to cold. Most coastal regions don't have it yet.
Of course, the biggest concern for me was that I had a very limited budget. The property rates are lower here in Kuşadası compared to other Aegean coastal towns (as there are a lot of buildings, mostly old) and I could afford a house with a small garden for my two old dogs, walking distance to the beach and still central. I can walk to most places or just take the minibusses right in front of our complex, so I don't need to have a car. I chose a place with gas because I suffered from the lack of it in Muğla. So far I am mostly happy with my decision but I am still new.
For now, I work from home. I am a freelance translator and an English teacher so I translate books, give online English lessons, etc. I can also help expats and give lessons to those who want to learn Turkish, by the way. I've had a few students before, they were happy with the results.