Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Punakha

For one person, living is cheaper in Punakha: $133 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

Punakha

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$133

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ankara and in Punakha

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

A single person spends $1,389 per month in Ankara vs $133 in Punakha, rent included.

Ankara $1,389
Punakha $133

A couple spends around $2,087 per month in Ankara vs $181 in Punakha, rent included.

Ankara $2,087
Punakha $181

A family of three spends $2,785 per month in Ankara vs $229 in Punakha, rent included.

Ankara $2,785
Punakha $229

Ankara costs about 944% more than Punakha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ₺507

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.81 ₺2,197

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.78 ₺490

Cappuccino

$4.12 ₺207

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

$1.68 ₺84.3

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₺36.05

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

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₺48.39

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₺113

Eggs

$2.66 ₺134

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₺42.02

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

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.94 ₺900

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

$21.40 BTN 2,023

149.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 ₺2,401

$10.34 BTN 977

362.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ₺5,229

$41.77 BTN 3,949

149.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 ₺4,905

$36.27 BTN 3,429

169.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₺37.5K

$93.8 BTN 8,870

696.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 ₺27.9K

$83.6 BTN 7,905

565.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 ₺57.3K

$138 BTN 13.0K

729.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 ₺45.2K

$119 BTN 11.2K

658.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,644 ₺82.5K

$3,198 BTN 302.3K

-48.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 ₺57.3K

$2,984 BTN 282.1K

-61.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,058 ₺53.1K

$237 BTN 22.4K

345.95%

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 Punakha: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ankara

$557 40.1%

Punakha

–

Groceries & Markets

Ankara

$251 18.1%

Punakha

–

Eating Out

Ankara

$208 14.9%

Punakha

–

Clothing & Footwear

Ankara

$136 9.8%

Punakha

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ankara

$129 9.3%

Punakha

–

Sport & Entertainment

Ankara

$88 6.3%

Punakha

–

Getting Around

Ankara

$20 1.5%

Punakha

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $748 in Ankara versus $94 in Punakha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Ankara are about 4.5 times higher, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Ankara

🇧🇹 Punakha

🕒 Local time

00:18 12:18 AM

03:18 3:18 AM

3 h ahead of Ankara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,864,049 Capital

21,500

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

1,000 BTN = 10.58 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.46 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BTN, 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).

Bhutanese Ngultrum exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 94.54 BTN (100 BTN = 1.06 USD). 1 EUR = 106 BTN (1,000 BTN = 9.46 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

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Between locations

Ankara Punakha 5,350 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Ankara
Punakha

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 Punakha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 944% more than Punakha, 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 $200 in Punakha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Punakha, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $94 there versus $748 in Ankara.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Punakha, where all-in costs run around $133, than in Ankara at $1,389. In Punakha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ankara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $133 in Punakha to $1,389 in Ankara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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