Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Puttalam

For one person, living is cheaper in Puttalam: $62.8 a month against $1,389 in Ankara, rent and utilities included – about $15,900 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

Puttalam

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$62.8

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ankara and in Puttalam

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

A single person spends $1,389 per month in Ankara vs $63 in Puttalam, rent included.

Ankara $1,389
Puttalam $63

A couple spends around $2,087 per month in Ankara vs $109 in Puttalam, rent included.

Ankara $2,087
Puttalam $109

A family of three spends $2,785 per month in Ankara vs $156 in Puttalam, rent included.

Ankara $2,785
Puttalam $156

Ankara costs about 2111% more than Puttalam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ankara sits 3% above the global median, while Puttalam is 95% 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

$0.49 LKR 162

95.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₺113

$0.76 LKR 254

196.05%

Eggs

$2.66 ₺134

$1.28 LKR 424

107.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.09 ₺506

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 ₺272

$3.67 LKR 1,221

47.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.99 ₺1,003

$7.55 LKR 2,510

164.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ₺95.8

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 ₺109

$0.77 LKR 255

183.12%

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

$0.35 LKR 116

88.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 ₺113

$7.27 LKR 2,418

-69.05%

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

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

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

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 Puttalam: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ankara

$557 40.1%

Puttalam

–

Groceries & Markets

Ankara

$251 18.1%

Puttalam

–

Eating Out

Ankara

$208 14.9%

Puttalam

–

Clothing & Footwear

Ankara

$136 9.8%

Puttalam

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ankara

$129 9.3%

Puttalam

–

Sport & Entertainment

Ankara

$88 6.3%

Puttalam

–

Getting Around

Ankara

$20 1.5%

Puttalam

–

Good to know

🇹🇷 Ankara

🇱🇰 Puttalam

🕒 Local time

12:31 12:31 PM

15:01 3:01 PM

2 h 30 min ahead of Ankara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,864,049 Capital

45,400

💱 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 = 2.68 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 = 56.33 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 = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ankara Puttalam 5,850 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Ankara
Puttalam

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 Puttalam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 2111% more than Puttalam, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. 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 $94 in Puttalam. 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 $63 in Puttalam. That makes Puttalam about 95% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 299% more in Ankara, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Puttalam, where all-in costs run around $63, than in Ankara at $1,389. In Puttalam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Puttalam has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $63 in Puttalam 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.