Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Ankara vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,842 per month in Ankara vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,418 per month in Ankara vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Ankara and Phuket have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.67 ₺445

$4.70 ฿153

105.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.89 ₺1,745

$45.37 ฿1,482

-16.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 ₺412

$8.43 ฿275

6.17%

Cappuccino

$3.19 ₺147

$2.93 ฿95.6

8.87%

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

$1.21 ₺55.8

$0.69 ฿22.40

75.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₺17.67

$0.37 ฿11.99

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ₺148

$2.41 ฿78.6

33.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ₺175

$3.72 ฿122

1.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 ₺43.44

$2.23 ฿72.9

-57.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 ₺30.15

$1.83 ฿59.8

-64.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺106

$2.17 ฿70.8

6.45%

Eggs

$2.30 ₺106

$2.21 ฿72.3

4.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 ₺432

$19.74 ฿645

-52.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 ₺270

$3.63 ฿119

61.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.66 ₺905

$13.53 ฿442

45.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 ₺67.5

$3.28 ฿107

-55.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 ₺105

$1.61 ฿52.6

41.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₺59.9

$2.41 ฿78.6

-46.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₺71.1

$2.08 ฿68.1

-25.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ₺34.04

$1.53 ฿49.93

-51.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ₺26.31

$1.48 ฿48.36

-61.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₺49.62

$0.99 ฿32.29

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₺18.36

$0.51 ฿16.67

-21.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 ₺98.6

$4.41 ฿144

-51.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.73 ₺494

$19.38 ฿633

-44.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₺97.3

$1.78 ฿58.1

18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₺145

$2.71 ฿88.6

15.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ₺29.18

$1.37 ฿44.79

-54.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.40 ₺433

$11.39 ฿372

-17.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₺42.01

$3.02 ฿98.6

-69.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₺27.85

$0.99 ฿32.48

-39.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 ₺290

$14.10 ฿461

-55.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₺56.8

$1.36 ฿44.51

-9.56%

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

$42.7K ₺2.0M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

51.37%

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

$42.9K ₺2.0M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

30.41%

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

$84.6 ₺3,897

$122 ฿3,975

-30.46%

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

$10.99 ₺506

$13.57 ฿443

-19.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.09 ₺649

$18.31 ฿598

-23.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 ₺2,555

$60.2 ฿1,967

-7.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.44 ₺665

$17.14 ฿560

-15.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 ₺286

$8.69 ฿284

-28.54%

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

$617 ₺28.4K

$693 ฿22.6K

-11.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ₺638.8K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-11.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₺2,705

$59.5 ฿1,944

-1.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.93 ₺2,023

$34.77 ฿1,136

26.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ₺4,800

$115 ฿3,743

-9.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 ₺4,435

$83.3 ฿2,720

15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 ₺34.1K

$613 ฿20.0K

20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₺23.7K

$437 ฿14.3K

17.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 ₺50.3K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-47.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 ₺32.3K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-53.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,700 ₺78.3K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-54.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,162 ₺53.5K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-55.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,076 ₺49.5K

$508 ฿16.6K

111.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.4

5.33

808.07%

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

Last update for Ankara: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Ankara versus $613 in Phuket. 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 112% higher in Ankara. 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 Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $293 – making Ankara 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Ankara and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Ankara and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Ankara at $1,266. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,266 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 Phuket. 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.