Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Bursa Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Bursa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Ankara vs $1,078 in Bursa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,859 per month in Ankara vs $1,616 in Bursa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,455 per month in Ankara vs $2,155 in Bursa, rent included.

Ankara costs about 17% more than Bursa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ankara and Bursa are more affordable than the global median – Ankara 6% lower, Bursa 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.75 ₺462

$9.50 ₺450

2.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.20 ₺1,809

$30.82 ₺1,460

23.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 ₺414

$7.55 ₺358

15.89%

Cappuccino

$3.27 ₺155

$2.87 ₺136

13.94%

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

$1.22 ₺57.7

$1.13 ₺53.7

7.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₺19.60

$0.43 ₺20.33

-4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 ₺154

$2.13 ₺101

52.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 ₺183

$2.35 ₺111

64.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ₺48.11

$0.88 ₺41.86

15.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 ₺31.00

$0.81 ₺38.36

-19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 ₺110

$2.02 ₺95.6

15.35%

Eggs

$2.30 ₺109

$1.88 ₺88.9

22.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 ₺443

$9.16 ₺434

2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.07 ₺287

$5.68 ₺269

6.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.37 ₺917

$18.75 ₺888

3.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 ₺71.8

$1.44 ₺68.1

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ₺112

$2.20 ₺104

7.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₺59.8

$1.32 ₺62.6

-4.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ₺72.0

$1.64 ₺77.5

-7.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ₺34.97

$0.76 ₺35.97

-2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₺26.58

$0.46 ₺21.94

21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₺52.9

$0.85 ₺40.02

31.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₺20.27

$0.30 ₺14.30

43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.19 ₺103

$2.11 ₺99.9

3.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.51 ₺545

$10.46 ₺495

10.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₺96.1

$2.02 ₺95.6

0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₺149

$2.01 ₺95.2

56.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ₺29.80

$1.61 ₺76.4

-60.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.54 ₺452

$49.55 ₺2,346

-80.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₺41.58

$0.90 ₺42.49

-2.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₺31.03

$0.61 ₺29.06

8.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 ₺297

$8.95 ₺424

-29.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺57.4

$1.16 ₺54.8

4.31%

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

$43.5K ₺2.1M

$40.8K ₺1.9M

6.55%

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

$43.2K ₺2.0M

$43.0K ₺2.0M

0.49%

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

$85.8 ₺4,065

$56.2 ₺2,661

52.77%

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

$10.92 ₺517

$9.43 ₺446

15.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.97 ₺662

$11.82 ₺559

18.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 ₺2,548

$55.0 ₺2,605

-2.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.59 ₺691

$37.39 ₺1,770

-60.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ₺308

$7.82 ₺370

-16.88%

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

$621 ₺29.4K

$365 ₺17.3K

70.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K ₺643.4K

$18.1K ₺855.6K

-24.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ₺2,771

$56.1 ₺2,655

4.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 ₺2,130

$44.16 ₺2,091

1.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ₺5,091

$101 ₺4,804

5.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 ₺4,587

$79.8 ₺3,777

21.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₺35.4K

$446 ₺21.1K

67.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 ₺24.9K

$344 ₺16.3K

52.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 ₺52.4K

$815 ₺38.6K

35.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 ₺34.0K

$527 ₺25.0K

36.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,698 ₺80.4K

$1,320 ₺62.5K

28.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,126 ₺53.3K

$1,204 ₺57.0K

-6.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,123 ₺53.2K

$1,006 ₺47.6K

11.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.4

42.62

13.56%

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

Last update for Ankara: July 21, 2026

Last update for Bursa: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $748 in Ankara versus $446 in Bursa. 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 12% higher in Ankara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Ankara versus $31.00 in Bursa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $224 – making Bursa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bursa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 17% more than Bursa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,894 per month in Ankara and $1,616 in Bursa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $621 per month in Ankara and $365 in Bursa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bursa, where all-in costs run around $1,078, than in Ankara at $1,262. In Bursa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bursa costs $1,078 versus $1,262 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 Bursa. 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.