Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Mersin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Mersin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,281 per month in Ankara vs $1,167 in Mersin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,851 per month in Ankara vs $1,720 in Mersin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,422 per month in Ankara vs $2,273 in Mersin, rent included.

Ankara costs about 10% more than Mersin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Ankara and Mersin are more affordable than the global median – Ankara 4% lower, Mersin 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.35 ₺420

$6.46 ₺290

44.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.78 ₺1,698

$29.86 ₺1,342

26.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₺400

$7.14 ₺321

24.65%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ₺142

$2.91 ₺131

8.59%

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

$1.23 ₺55.3

$1.44 ₺64.5

-14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₺17.26

$0.58 ₺25.97

-34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 ₺152

$3.74 ₺168

-9.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ₺170

$5.03 ₺226

-24.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 ₺42.30

$1.01 ₺45.44

-6.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 ₺29.85

$0.80 ₺36.18

-17.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 ₺108

$2.33 ₺105

3.00%

Eggs

$2.28 ₺103

$2.05 ₺92.0

11.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 ₺420

$13.75 ₺618

-32.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 ₺263

$5.89 ₺265

-0.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 ₺852

$20.92 ₺940

-9.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 ₺67.7

$1.21 ₺54.6

24.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ₺107

$2.07 ₺93.2

14.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 ₺59.3

$0.99 ₺44.55

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ₺68.0

$1.51 ₺67.8

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ₺32.43

$1.00 ₺44.95

-28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ₺25.40

$0.60 ₺26.79

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₺50.0

$0.82 ₺37.03

35.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₺17.53

$0.35 ₺15.89

11.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 ₺99.9

$2.10 ₺94.2

5.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 ₺497

$11.21 ₺504

-1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₺95.4

$2.06 ₺92.4

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₺139

$2.86 ₺129

8.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 ₺29.21

$0.61 ₺27.26

6.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.79 ₺440

$34.37 ₺1,545

-71.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 ₺40.47

$0.74 ₺33.27

21.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₺26.99

$0.62 ₺27.68

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ₺290

$10.16 ₺457

-36.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺54.8

$1.08 ₺48.53

12.96%

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

$43.0K ₺1.9M

$43.1K ₺1.9M

-0.32%

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

$42.7K ₺1.9M

$44.1K ₺2.0M

-3.21%

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

$85.2 ₺3,828

$125 ₺5,641

-32.13%

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

$10.87 ₺489

$9.48 ₺426

14.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.15 ₺636

$13.48 ₺606

4.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ₺2,473

$30.32 ₺1,363

81.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 ₺645

$9.97 ₺448

43.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ₺293

$2.55 ₺115

155.69%

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

$619 ₺27.8K

$455 ₺20.5K

36.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₺618.4K

$5,047 ₺226.9K

172.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ₺2,615

$51.1 ₺2,297

13.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.07 ₺2,026

$63.7 ₺2,864

-29.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ₺4,691

$152 ₺6,853

-31.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,341

$50.9 ₺2,288

89.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ₺32.9K

$509 ₺22.9K

43.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 ₺23.9K

$389 ₺17.5K

37.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 ₺50.4K

$573 ₺25.7K

95.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 ₺32.1K

$617 ₺27.7K

15.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,596 ₺71.8K

$1,363 ₺61.3K

17.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 ₺51.3K

$1,075 ₺48.3K

6.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,061 ₺47.7K

$723 ₺32.5K

46.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.4

51.25%

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

Last update for Ankara: April 20, 2026

Last update for Mersin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Ankara versus $509 in Mersin. 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 47% higher in Ankara, 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 in Ankara versus $30 in Mersin. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Ankara vs $249 in Mersin – so Ankara 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 Mersin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 10% more than Mersin, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,922 per month in Ankara and $1,751 in Mersin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $619 per month in Ankara and $455 in Mersin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Ankara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mersin, where all-in costs run around $1,167, than in Ankara at $1,281. In Mersin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mersin costs $1,167 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 Mersin. 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.