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 $1,266 per month in Ankara vs $1,273 in Cape Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,842 per month in Ankara vs $1,983 in Cape Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,418 per month in Ankara vs $2,693 in Cape Town, rent included.

Ankara is about 1% cheaper than Cape Town, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ankara and Cape Town are more affordable than the global median – Ankara 6% lower, Cape Town 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.67 ₺445

$11.02 R 180

-12.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.89 ₺1,745

$44.99 R 734

-15.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 ₺412

$4.91 R 80.1

82.28%

Cappuccino

$3.19 ₺147

$2.00 R 32.62

59.50%

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

$1.21 ₺55.8

$1.10 R 18.02

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₺17.67

$0.83 R 13.48

-54.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ₺148

$2.87 R 46.76

11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ₺175

$2.48 R 40.52

52.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 ₺43.44

$1.15 R 18.69

-18.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 ₺30.15

$1.08 R 17.66

-39.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺106

$1.87 R 30.51

23.53%

Eggs

$2.30 ₺106

$2.47 R 40.28

-6.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 ₺432

$8.57 R 140

9.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 ₺270

$5.14 R 83.8

14.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.66 ₺905

$7.66 R 125

156.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 ₺67.5

$1.49 R 24.34

-1.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 ₺105

$1.49 R 24.36

53.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₺59.9

$1.49 R 24.38

-12.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₺71.1

$1.59 R 25.95

-3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ₺34.04

$1.08 R 17.61

-31.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ₺26.31

$1.24 R 20.24

-54.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₺49.62

$1.10 R 17.90

-1.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₺18.36

$0.96 R 15.64

-58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 ₺98.6

$3.04 R 49.54

-29.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.73 ₺494

$6.18 R 101

73.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₺97.3

$1.41 R 23.06

49.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₺145

$1.68 R 27.34

86.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ₺29.18

$0.93 R 15.24

-32.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.40 ₺433

$47.91 R 782

-80.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₺42.01

$1.38 R 22.52

-34.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₺27.85

$0.93 R 15.20

-35.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 ₺290

$4.36 R 71.2

44.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₺56.8

$1.25 R 20.42

-1.60%

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

$42.7K ₺2.0M

$21.3K R 348.3K

100.00%

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

$42.9K ₺2.0M

$24.5K R 399.1K

75.43%

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

$84.6 ₺3,897

$98.3 R 1,604

-13.91%

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

$10.99 ₺506

$33.19 R 542

-66.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.09 ₺649

$40.75 R 665

-65.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 ₺2,555

$41.68 R 680

33.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.44 ₺665

$8.15 R 133

77.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 ₺286

$6.55 R 107

-5.19%

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

$617 ₺28.4K

$211 R 3,450

191.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ₺638.8K

$5,300 R 86.5K

161.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₺2,705

$55.7 R 910

5.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.93 ₺2,023

$32.78 R 535

34.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ₺4,800

$115 R 1,877

-9.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 ₺4,435

$84.5 R 1,379

13.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 ₺34.1K

$765 R 12.5K

-3.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₺23.7K

$520 R 8,488

-1.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 ₺50.3K

$1,430 R 23.3K

-23.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 ₺32.3K

$1,014 R 16.5K

-30.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,700 ₺78.3K

$2,344 R 38.2K

-27.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,162 ₺53.5K

$1,506 R 24.6K

-22.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,076 ₺49.5K

$1,683 R 27.5K

-36.09%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Ankara versus $765 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 56% 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 $38.00 in Ankara versus $45.00 in Cape Town. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Ankara vs $189 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 1% more than Ankara, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Ankara and $1,909 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 $617 per month in Ankara and $211 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 25% 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 $1,266, than in Cape Town at $1,273. 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 $1,266 versus $1,273 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.