Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Cape Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Cape Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,281 per month in Ankara vs $1,274 in Cape Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,825 per month in Ankara vs $2,011 in Cape Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,370 per month in Ankara vs $2,747 in Cape Town, rent included.

Ankara costs about 1% more than Cape Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ankara and Cape Town are more affordable than the global median – Ankara 4% lower, Cape Town 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.60 ₺453

$10.87 R 179

-11.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.78 ₺1,782

$44.99 R 743

-16.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ₺413

$5.17 R 85.3

69.44%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ₺149

$1.99 R 32.77

58.79%

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

$1.21 ₺57.3

$1.15 R 18.92

5.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₺18.17

$0.88 R 14.49

-55.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ₺151

$2.87 R 47.43

11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 ₺185

$2.45 R 40.43

60.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 ₺47.63

$1.16 R 19.21

-12.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₺33.39

$1.10 R 18.17

-35.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 ₺108

$1.90 R 31.32

21.05%

Eggs

$2.27 ₺107

$2.47 R 40.79

-8.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 ₺440

$8.55 R 141

9.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.97 ₺282

$5.04 R 83.2

18.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.67 ₺928

$7.48 R 124

162.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 ₺68.6

$1.52 R 25.01

-4.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺108

$1.42 R 23.42

61.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₺62.6

$1.46 R 24.10

-8.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ₺69.8

$1.54 R 25.50

-3.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ₺31.99

$1.12 R 18.51

-39.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 ₺29.07

$1.24 R 20.47

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺53.4

$1.09 R 17.94

3.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₺19.92

$0.96 R 15.79

-56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 ₺101

$3.02 R 49.78

-29.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ₺553

$6.02 R 99.4

94.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₺95.4

$1.39 R 22.97

45.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₺153

$1.67 R 27.55

94.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ₺30.40

$0.97 R 16.01

-34.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.55 ₺451

$47.18 R 779

-79.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ₺43.71

$1.43 R 23.67

-34.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₺28.57

$0.93 R 15.41

-34.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 ₺291

$4.46 R 73.7

38.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₺55.8

$1.19 R 19.65

-0.84%

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

$43.3K ₺2.0M

$21.2K R 350.2K

104.21%

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

$42.9K ₺2.0M

$23.9K R 394.4K

79.72%

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

$84.2 ₺3,971

$99.4 R 1,641

-15.37%

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

$10.61 ₺501

$33.36 R 550

-68.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.79 ₺651

$40.88 R 675

-66.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₺2,586

$41.96 R 693

30.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 ₺686

$8.18 R 135

77.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ₺295

$6.87 R 113

-9.02%

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

$602 ₺28.4K

$210 R 3,467

186.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ₺634.3K

$5,351 R 88.3K

151.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ₺2,751

$55.8 R 920

4.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.23 ₺2,134

$33.54 R 554

34.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ₺5,063

$113 R 1,867

-5.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.7 ₺4,658

$85.6 R 1,413

15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 ₺34.3K

$768 R 12.7K

-5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ₺24.7K

$523 R 8,631

-0.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 ₺51.5K

$1,455 R 24.0K

-25.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$703 ₺33.2K

$1,044 R 17.2K

-32.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,716 ₺81.0K

$2,329 R 38.4K

-26.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,137 ₺53.7K

$1,509 R 24.9K

-24.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,095 ₺51.7K

$1,600 R 26.4K

-31.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.4

11.77

311.21%

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

Last update for Ankara: July 14, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $726 in Ankara versus $768 in Cape Town. 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 46% higher in Cape Town, 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 $38.00 in Ankara versus $45.00 in Cape Town. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Ankara vs $187 in Cape Town – so Cape Town wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 1% more than Cape Town, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,921 per month in Ankara and $1,911 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $602 per month in Ankara and $210 in Cape Town. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 Cape Town, where all-in costs run around $1,274, than in Ankara at $1,281. In Cape Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cape Town costs $1,274 versus $1,281 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 Cape Town. 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.