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 $1,347 per month in Ankara vs $1,640 in Cape Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,044 per month in Ankara vs $2,528 in Cape Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,741 per month in Ankara vs $3,415 in Cape Town, rent included.

Ankara is about 18% cheaper than Cape Town, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Ankara sits 2% below the global median, while Cape Town is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.50 ₺508

$12.20 R 195

-13.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.77 ₺2,022

$48.92 R 782

-14.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 ₺444

$5.65 R 90.4

62.48%

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₺188

$2.64 R 42.15

47.35%

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

$1.63 ₺79.1

$1.31 R 21.03

24.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₺32.14

$1.06 R 16.91

-37.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 ₺248

$3.17 R 50.7

61.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 ₺272

$3.80 R 60.7

48.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺55.9

$1.38 R 22.05

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₺43.77

$1.23 R 19.75

-26.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 ₺113

$2.18 R 34.84

6.88%

Eggs

$2.57 ₺125

$3.04 R 48.64

-15.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 ₺489

$9.18 R 147

10.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 ₺256

$6.89 R 110

-23.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.31 ₺983

$9.32 R 149

117.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ₺97.7

$1.89 R 30.26

6.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 ₺103

$2.03 R 32.52

5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ₺65.9

$1.67 R 26.66

-18.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₺74.4

$2.22 R 35.48

-30.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 ₺26.87

$1.53 R 24.44

-63.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ₺23.76

$1.62 R 25.85

-69.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₺49.68

$1.33 R 21.33

-22.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₺33.08

$1.18 R 18.83

-42.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 ₺108

$3.59 R 57.4

-37.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 ₺591

$6.25 R 99.9

95.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₺104

$1.41 R 22.47

52.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₺147

$2.32 R 37.02

31.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 ₺35.66

$1.45 R 23.20

-48.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.40 ₺600

$61.5 R 984

-79.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ₺58.4

$0.65 R 10.32

86.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₺35.62

$1.62 R 25.87

-54.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 ₺265

$5.06 R 81.0

8.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₺64.7

$1.57 R 25.11

-14.65%

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

$49.7K ₺2.4M

$37.1K R 593.1K

33.99%

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

$42.2K ₺2.0M

$33.2K R 530.7K

27.13%

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

$89.0 ₺4,308

$121 R 1,930

-26.26%

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

$10.58 ₺512

$30.79 R 492

-65.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ₺847

$39.59 R 633

-55.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ₺3,182

$50.7 R 811

29.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.71 ₺712

$11.80 R 189

24.66%

Cinema Ticket

$7.92 ₺384

$9.35 R 150

-15.29%

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

$1,034 ₺50.1K

$265 R 4,243

289.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K ₺879.9K

$6,560 R 104.9K

177.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.39 ₺2,294

$57.6 R 921

-17.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.52 ₺2,397

$33.12 R 530

49.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺4,865

$121 R 1,932

-16.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.9 ₺4,499

$110 R 1,756

-15.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 ₺35.8K

$1,035 R 16.6K

-28.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 ₺26.8K

$727 R 11.6K

-23.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ₺57.7K

$1,896 R 30.3K

-37.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$877 ₺42.4K

$1,359 R 21.7K

-35.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,662 ₺80.5K

$2,488 R 39.8K

-33.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,135 ₺55.0K

$1,614 R 25.8K

-29.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 ₺51.3K

$1,642 R 26.3K

-35.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

42.86

11.02

288.93%

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

Last update for Ankara: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $739 in Ankara versus $1,035 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 55% higher in Cape Town, 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 $42.00 in Ankara versus $49.00 in Cape Town. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Ankara vs $228 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

Cape Town costs about 22% more than Ankara, 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 $2,021 per month in Ankara and $2,460 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,034 per month in Ankara and $265 in Cape Town. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Cape Town – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ankara, where all-in costs run around $1,347, than in Cape Town at $1,640. In Ankara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ankara costs $1,347 versus $1,640 in Cape Town. 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 Ankara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cape Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.