Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Kocaeli Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Kocaeli

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,347 per month in Ankara vs $1,253 in Kocaeli, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,044 per month in Ankara vs $1,811 in Kocaeli, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,741 per month in Ankara vs $2,368 in Kocaeli, rent included.

Ankara costs about 8% more than Kocaeli, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ankara and Kocaeli are more affordable than the global median – Ankara 2% lower, Kocaeli 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.50 ₺508

$8.22 ₺398

27.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.77 ₺2,022

$30.95 ₺1,498

34.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 ₺444

$8.07 ₺391

13.75%

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₺188

$3.63 ₺176

7.16%

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

$1.63 ₺79.1

$1.10 ₺53.4

48.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₺32.14

$0.35 ₺16.86

88.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 ₺248

$2.88 ₺140

78.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 ₺272

$2.93 ₺142

92.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺55.9

$0.92 ₺44.70

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₺43.77

$0.92 ₺44.59

-2.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 ₺113

$2.56 ₺124

-8.98%

Eggs

$2.57 ₺125

$2.77 ₺134

-7.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 ₺489

$10.13 ₺491

-0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 ₺256

$4.09 ₺198

29.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.31 ₺983

$20.55 ₺995

-1.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ₺97.7

$1.77 ₺85.6

14.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 ₺103

$2.02 ₺97.7

5.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ₺65.9

$1.02 ₺49.53

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₺74.4

$1.23 ₺59.8

25.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 ₺26.87

$0.54 ₺26.02

3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ₺23.76

$0.41 ₺19.94

19.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₺49.68

$0.83 ₺39.96

24.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₺33.08

$0.62 ₺30.10

9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 ₺108

$2.25 ₺109

-0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 ₺591

$8.30 ₺402

46.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₺104

$2.24 ₺108

-4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₺147

$2.30 ₺111

32.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 ₺35.66

$0.71 ₺34.21

4.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.40 ₺600

$74.7 ₺3,615

-83.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ₺58.4

$1.01 ₺48.89

19.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₺35.62

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 ₺265

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₺64.7

$1.23 ₺59.7

8.94%

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

$49.7K ₺2.4M

$42.1K ₺2.0M

18.14%

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

$42.2K ₺2.0M

$41.1K ₺2.0M

2.58%

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

$89.0 ₺4,308

$81.4 ₺3,943

9.27%

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

$10.58 ₺512

$11.95 ₺579

-11.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ₺847

$13.08 ₺633

33.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ₺3,182

$55.5 ₺2,687

18.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.71 ₺712

$4.26 ₺206

245.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.92 ₺384

$5.03 ₺244

57.46%

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

$1,034 ₺50.1K

$473 ₺22.9K

118.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K ₺879.9K

$6,224 ₺301.3K

192.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.39 ₺2,294

$48.47 ₺2,346

-2.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.52 ₺2,397

$53.8 ₺2,603

-7.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺4,865

$121 ₺5,881

-17.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.9 ₺4,499

$103 ₺4,995

-9.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 ₺35.8K

$786 ₺38.0K

-5.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 ₺26.8K

$487 ₺23.6K

13.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ₺57.7K

$1,222 ₺59.2K

-2.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$877 ₺42.4K

$590 ₺28.6K

48.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,662 ₺80.5K

$1,050 ₺50.8K

58.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,135 ₺55.0K

$839 ₺40.6K

35.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 ₺51.3K

$1,229 ₺59.5K

-13.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

42.86

4.54%

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

Last update for Ankara: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kocaeli: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $739 in Ankara versus $786 in Kocaeli. 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 16% higher in Kocaeli, 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 $42.00 in Ankara versus $31.00 in Kocaeli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $229 – making Kocaeli 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 Kocaeli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 8% more than Kocaeli, 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 $1,879 in Kocaeli. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kocaeli, 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 $473 in Kocaeli. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 Kocaeli, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Ankara at $1,347. In Kocaeli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kocaeli costs $1,253 versus $1,347 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 Kocaeli. 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.