Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Ankara: $1,397 a month against $1,567 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

68

Cost of Living Index in Ankara
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Ankara Living Index
76

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Ankara

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,397

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,567

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ankara and in Mexico City

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 Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,397 per month in Ankara vs $1,567 in Mexico City, rent included.

Ankara $1,397
Mexico City $1,567

A couple spends around $2,075 per month in Ankara vs $2,450 in Mexico City, rent included.

Ankara $2,075
Mexico City $2,450

A family of three spends $2,753 per month in Ankara vs $3,333 in Mexico City, rent included.

Ankara $2,753
Mexico City $3,333

Ankara is about 11% cheaper than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ankara and Mexico City sit above the global median – Ankara by 4%, Mexico City by 16%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ₺500

$10.75 MX$199

-6.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.03 ₺2,130

$50.3 MX$929

-14.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 ₺489

$11.10 MX$205

-11.08%

Cappuccino

$4.17 ₺206

$3.68 MX$68.1

13.32%

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

$1.74 ₺86.2

$1.65 MX$30.42

5.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₺38.35

$1.30 MX$24.08

-40.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.12 ₺254

$3.32 MX$61.3

54.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 ₺308

$5.54 MX$102

12.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₺57.2

$1.77 MX$32.68

-34.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ₺46.15

$3.05 MX$56.4

-69.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 ₺114

$2.01 MX$37.20

14.43%

Eggs

$2.66 ₺132

$2.77 MX$51.1

-3.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 ₺499

$11.91 MX$220

-15.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 ₺274

$9.33 MX$172

-40.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.03 ₺992

$15.02 MX$278

33.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₺97.7

$3.08 MX$56.8

-36.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ₺107

$1.95 MX$35.97

10.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₺65.6

$2.03 MX$37.54

-34.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 ₺83.0

$2.21 MX$40.92

-23.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ₺31.18

$2.02 MX$37.41

-68.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₺26.73

$1.82 MX$33.67

-70.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₺49.86

$1.52 MX$28.07

-33.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₺34.25

$1.28 MX$23.65

-46.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 ₺107

$5.27 MX$97.4

-59.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 ₺621

$16.12 MX$298

-22.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₺112

$1.95 MX$36.05

15.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ₺160

$4.25 MX$78.6

-24.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 ₺34.62

$0.31 MX$5.82

125.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.35 ₺611

$19.85 MX$367

-37.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$2.00 MX$36.93

-35.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₺39.43

$0.53 MX$9.86

50.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ₺336

$5.62 MX$104

20.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₺71.4

$1.52 MX$28.07

-5.26%

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

$48.0K ₺2.4M

$21.0K MX$388.7K

128.35%

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

$41.7K ₺2.1M

$25.2K MX$465.3K

65.54%

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

$92.9 ₺4,600

$62.5 MX$1,155

48.68%

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

$10.81 ₺535

$28.77 MX$532

-62.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.73 ₺878

$34.45 MX$637

-48.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 ₺3,589

$57.1 MX$1,055

26.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.27 ₺756

$24.81 MX$458

-38.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 ₺400

$6.67 MX$123

21.29%

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

$1,038 ₺51.4K

$431 MX$7,964

140.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K ₺966.2K

$11.7K MX$216.9K

66.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ₺2,656

$70.8 MX$1,308

-24.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.13 ₺2,383

$51.8 MX$958

-7.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ₺5,149

$109 MX$2,011

-4.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.3 ₺4,815

$112 MX$2,076

-13.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$747 ₺37.0K

$1,051 MX$19.4K

-28.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 ₺28.2K

$665 MX$12.3K

-14.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,140 ₺56.5K

$2,346 MX$43.3K

-51.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 ₺43.2K

$1,227 MX$22.7K

-28.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,674 ₺82.9K

$3,554 MX$65.7K

-52.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,174 ₺58.1K

$1,977 MX$36.5K

-40.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,068 ₺52.9K

$975 MX$18.0K

9.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

43.57

11.3

285.58%

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

Last update for Ankara: October 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ankara

$569 40.7%

Mexico City

$665 42.4% 16.9% $96

Groceries & Markets

Ankara

$253 18.1%

Mexico City

$323 20.6% 27.4% $69

Eating Out

Ankara

$209 14.9%

Mexico City

$203 13% 2.7% $5.5

Clothing & Footwear

Ankara

$136 9.8%

Mexico City

$155 9.9% 13.4% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ankara

$121 8.7%

Mexico City

$126 8% 3.5% $4.3

Sport & Entertainment

Ankara

$89 6.3%

Mexico City

$70 4.5% 20.6% $18

Getting Around

Ankara

$20 1.5%

Mexico City

$26 1.6% 26.2% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $747 in Ankara versus $1,051 in Mexico City. 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 10% higher in Ankara, 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 $43.00 in Ankara versus $50.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $323 – making Ankara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Ankara

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

13:04 1:04 PM

04:04 4:04 AM

9 h behind Ankara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,864,049 Capital

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ankara Mexico City 11,750 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Ankara
Mexico City

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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 12% more than Ankara, 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 $2,096 per month in Ankara and $2,351 in Mexico City. 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 $1,038 per month in Ankara and $431 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Mexico City, 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 Ankara, where all-in costs run around $1,397, than in Mexico City at $1,567. In Ankara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ankara costs $1,397 versus $1,567 in Mexico City. 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.