Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Side Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Side

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,281 per month in Ankara vs $1,076 in Side, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,851 per month in Ankara vs $1,642 in Side, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,422 per month in Ankara vs $2,208 in Side, rent included.

Ankara costs about 19% more than Side, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ankara and Side are more affordable than the global median – Ankara 4% lower, Side 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.35 ₺420

$7.79 ₺350

20.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.78 ₺1,698

$23.29 ₺1,047

62.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₺400

$6.18 ₺278

44.01%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ₺142

$2.64 ₺119

19.70%

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

$1.23 ₺55.3

$1.74 ₺78.0

-29.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₺17.26

$0.47 ₺21.24

-19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 ₺152

$3.14 ₺141

7.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ₺170

$4.10 ₺184

-7.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 ₺42.30

$0.84 ₺37.96

11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 ₺29.85

$0.98 ₺44.13

-32.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 ₺108

$0.88 ₺39.38

172.73%

Eggs

$2.28 ₺103

$1.77 ₺79.5

28.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 ₺420

$8.38 ₺377

11.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 ₺263

$5.33 ₺240

9.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 ₺852

$16.31 ₺733

16.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 ₺67.7

$1.01 ₺45.32

49.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ₺107

$2.09 ₺93.9

13.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 ₺59.3

$0.73 ₺32.71

80.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ₺68.0

$1.11 ₺49.76

36.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ₺32.43

$0.56 ₺24.97

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ₺25.40

$0.45 ₺20.33

26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₺50.0

$1.27 ₺56.9

-12.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₺17.53

$0.34 ₺15.30

14.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 ₺99.9

$2.05 ₺92.0

8.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 ₺497

$8.72 ₺392

26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₺95.4

$1.70 ₺76.6

24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₺139

$2.12 ₺95.3

46.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 ₺29.21

$0.63 ₺28.09

3.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.79 ₺440

$30.68 ₺1,379

-68.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 ₺40.47

$1.08 ₺48.74

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₺26.99

$0.61 ₺27.31

-1.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ₺290

$7.65 ₺344

-15.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺54.8

$1.16 ₺52.0

5.17%

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

$43.0K ₺1.9M

$40.1K ₺1.8M

7.29%

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

$42.7K ₺1.9M

0.10%

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

$85.2 ₺3,828

$48.43 ₺2,177

75.86%

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

$10.87 ₺489

$8.03 ₺361

35.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.15 ₺636

$6.49 ₺292

118.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ₺2,473

$42.64 ₺1,917

29.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 ₺645

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ₺293

$6.47 ₺291

0.77%

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

$619 ₺27.8K

0.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₺618.4K

$8,974 ₺403.4K

53.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ₺2,615

$75.2 ₺3,379

-22.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.07 ₺2,026

$45.66 ₺2,053

-1.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ₺4,691

$163 ₺7,318

-35.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,341

$112 ₺5,025

-13.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ₺32.9K

$513 ₺23.0K

42.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 ₺23.9K

$395 ₺17.8K

34.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 ₺50.4K

$889 ₺40.0K

26.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 ₺32.1K

$702 ₺31.6K

1.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,596 ₺71.8K

$1,382 ₺62.1K

15.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 ₺51.3K

$1,010 ₺45.4K

13.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,061 ₺47.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.4

142.00%

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

Last update for Ankara: April 20, 2026

Last update for Side: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Ankara versus $513 in Side. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Ankara versus $23 in Side. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $198 – making Side 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 Side: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 19% more than Side, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,614 in Side. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Side, 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 $619 in Side. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Ankara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Side, where all-in costs run around $1,076, than in Ankara at $1,281. In Side it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Side costs $1,076 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 Side. 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.