Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Balikesir

For one person, living is cheaper in Balikesir: $931 a month against $1,397 in Ankara, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

68

Cost of Living Index in Ankara
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Ankara Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Balikesir
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Balikesir Living Index

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Ankara

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,397

/mo nomad

Balikesir

🇹🇷 Turkey

$931

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ankara and in Balikesir

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ankara and in Balikesir actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,397 per month in Ankara vs $931 in Balikesir, rent included.

Ankara $1,397
Balikesir $931

A couple spends around $2,075 per month in Ankara vs $1,462 in Balikesir, rent included.

Ankara $2,075
Balikesir $1,462

A family of three spends $2,753 per month in Ankara vs $1,993 in Balikesir, rent included.

Ankara $2,753
Balikesir $1,993

Ankara costs about 50% more than Balikesir, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Ankara sits 4% above the global median, while Balikesir is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ₺500

$7.19 ₺356

40.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.03 ₺2,130

$28.26 ₺1,399

52.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 ₺489

$7.59 ₺376

30.04%

Cappuccino

$4.17 ₺206

$3.45 ₺171

20.87%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₺86.2

$1.36 ₺67.2

27.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₺38.35

$0.35 ₺17.49

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.12 ₺254

$3.20 ₺158

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 ₺308

$4.24 ₺210

46.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₺57.2

$0.90 ₺44.56

28.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ₺46.15

$0.95 ₺46.92

-2.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 ₺114

$2.15 ₺106

6.98%

Eggs

$2.66 ₺132

$2.00 ₺98.9

33.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 ₺499

$8.05 ₺398

25.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 ₺274

$3.94 ₺195

40.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.03 ₺992

$18.19 ₺901

10.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₺97.7

$1.84 ₺91.3

7.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ₺107

$1.89 ₺93.4

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₺65.6

$1.12 ₺55.6

18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 ₺83.0

$1.03 ₺51.1

63.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ₺31.18

$0.50 ₺24.60

26.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₺26.73

$0.38 ₺18.87

42.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₺49.86

$0.85 ₺41.90

18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₺34.25

$0.70 ₺34.84

-1.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 ₺107

$2.01 ₺99.4

7.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 ₺621

$10.01 ₺496

25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₺112

$2.05 ₺102

10.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ₺160

$3.31 ₺164

-2.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 ₺34.62

$0.63 ₺31.36

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.35 ₺611

$40.21 ₺1,991

-69.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$1.10 ₺54.2

17.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₺39.43

$1.09 ₺54.0

-26.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ₺336

$4.19 ₺207

62.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₺71.4

$1.33 ₺65.7

8.27%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$48.0K ₺2.4M

$42.6K ₺2.1M

12.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$41.7K ₺2.1M

$40.2K ₺2.0M

3.64%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$92.9 ₺4,600

$62.5 ₺3,096

48.58%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.81 ₺535

$12.06 ₺597

-10.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.73 ₺878

$14.87 ₺736

19.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 ₺3,589

$42.71 ₺2,115

69.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.27 ₺756

$29.82 ₺1,477

-48.79%

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 ₺400

$4.01 ₺198

101.75%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,038 ₺51.4K

$474 ₺23.5K

119.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K ₺966.2K

$12.2K ₺603.6K

60.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ₺2,656

$24.30 ₺1,203

120.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.13 ₺2,383

$16.36 ₺810

194.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ₺5,149

$82.3 ₺4,075

26.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.3 ₺4,815

$50.4 ₺2,496

92.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$747 ₺37.0K

$378 ₺18.7K

97.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 ₺28.2K

$296 ₺14.7K

92.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,140 ₺56.5K

$801 ₺39.6K

42.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 ₺43.2K

$550 ₺27.2K

58.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,674 ₺82.9K

$1,149 ₺56.9K

45.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,174 ₺58.1K

$801 ₺39.7K

46.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,068 ₺52.9K

$1,289 ₺63.8K

-17.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

43.57

39.8

9.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ankara: October 12, 2026

Last update for Balikesir: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ankara

$569 40.7%

Balikesir

$296 31.8% 47.9% $273

Groceries & Markets

Ankara

$253 18.1%

Balikesir

$215 23.1% 15.2% $39

Eating Out

Ankara

$209 14.9%

Balikesir

$153 16.4% 26.6% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Ankara

$136 9.8%

Balikesir

$78 8.4% 42.8% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ankara

$121 8.7%

Balikesir

$89 9.6% 26.3% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Ankara

$89 6.3%

Balikesir

$51 5.5% 42.8% $38

Getting Around

Ankara

$20 1.5%

Balikesir

$49 5.3% 141% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $747 in Ankara versus $378 in Balikesir. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Balikesir, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Ankara versus $28.00 in Balikesir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $215 – making Balikesir the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Ankara

🇹🇷 Balikesir

🕒 Local time

23:49 11:49 PM

Same time as Ankara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,864,049 Capital

1,196,170

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Ankara Balikesir 430 km

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Ankara vs Balikesir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 50% more than Balikesir, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,096 per month in Ankara and $1,397 in Balikesir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Balikesir, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,038 per month in Ankara and $474 in Balikesir. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Ankara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Balikesir, where all-in costs run around $931, than in Ankara at $1,397. In Balikesir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Balikesir costs $931 versus $1,397 in Ankara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Balikesir. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ankara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.