Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $131 a month against $1,389 in Ankara, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Ankara
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Ankara Living Index

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Ankara

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,389

/mo nomad

Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ankara and in Maharagama

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ankara and in Maharagama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,389 per month in Ankara vs $131 in Maharagama, rent included.

Ankara $1,389
Maharagama $131

A couple spends around $2,087 per month in Ankara vs $246 in Maharagama, rent included.

Ankara $2,087
Maharagama $246

A family of three spends $2,785 per month in Ankara vs $361 in Maharagama, rent included.

Ankara $2,785
Maharagama $361

Ankara costs about 962% more than Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ankara sits 3% above the global median, while Maharagama is 90% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ₺507

$5.30 LKR 1,761

90.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.81 ₺2,197

$20.24 LKR 6,732

116.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.78 ₺490

$6.67 LKR 2,219

46.63%

Cappuccino

$4.12 ₺207

$2.11 LKR 702

95.26%

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

$1.68 ₺84.3

$0.64 LKR 213

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₺36.05

$0.29 LKR 95.2

148.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 ₺252

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.60 ₺331

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₺58.4

$0.87 LKR 288

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₺48.39

$0.23 LKR 76.1

317.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₺113

$0.50 LKR 167

350.00%

Eggs

$2.66 ₺134

$1.42 LKR 473

87.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.09 ₺506

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 ₺272

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.99 ₺1,003

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ₺95.8

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 ₺109

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₺63.3

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ₺82.6

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.69

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₺27.40

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ₺49.75

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₺32.90

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 ₺113

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 ₺620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₺106

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₺161

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ₺38.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 ₺595

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.3

$0.44 LKR 146

190.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₺42.02

$0.46 LKR 154

82.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 ₺412

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₺69.5

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

$48.4K ₺2.4M

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

$40.2K ₺2.0M

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

$99.9 ₺5,011

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

$11.15 ₺559

$4.55 LKR 1,513

145.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.94 ₺900

$13.38 LKR 4,449

34.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.0 ₺3,611

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.80 ₺742

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 ₺390

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

$1,084 ₺54.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K ₺1.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ₺2,677

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 ₺2,401

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ₺5,229

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 ₺4,905

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₺37.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 ₺27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 ₺57.3K

$198 LKR 65.9K

476.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 ₺45.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,644 ₺82.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 ₺57.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,058 ₺53.1K

$240 LKR 79.7K

341.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

43.85

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

Last update for Ankara: November 2, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ankara

$557 40.1%

Maharagama

–

Groceries & Markets

Ankara

$251 18.1%

Maharagama

–

Eating Out

Ankara

$208 14.9%

Maharagama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Ankara

$136 9.8%

Maharagama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ankara

$129 9.3%

Maharagama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Ankara

$88 6.3%

Maharagama

–

Getting Around

Ankara

$20 1.5%

Maharagama

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Ankara are about 4.4 times higher, 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 $44 in Ankara versus $20 in Maharagama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $19 – making Maharagama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Ankara

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🕒 Local time

00:26 12:26 AM

02:56 2:56 AM

2 h 30 min ahead of Ankara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,864,049 Capital

196,400

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.05 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

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Ankara Maharagama 5,950 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Ankara
Maharagama

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 962% more than Maharagama, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,083 per month in Ankara and $196 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,389 in Ankara and $131 in Maharagama. That makes Maharagama about 91% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 1246% more in Ankara, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Ankara at $1,389. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maharagama costs $131 versus $1,389 in Ankara. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Maharagama. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ankara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.