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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,380 per month in Ankara vs $1,123 in Side, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,039 per month in Ankara vs $1,826 in Side, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,699 per month in Ankara vs $2,529 in Side, rent included.

Ankara costs about 23% more than Side, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ankara sits 0% above the global median, while Side is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.28 ₺499

$9.47 ₺460

8.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.24 ₺2,002

$67.2 ₺3,263

-38.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 ₺461

$10.08 ₺490

-5.75%

Cappuccino

$3.95 ₺192

$3.38 ₺164

16.86%

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

$1.74 ₺84.3

$2.13 ₺103

-18.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₺33.07

$0.38 ₺18.56

78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 ₺244

$3.74 ₺181

34.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 ₺285

$5.95 ₺289

-1.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 ₺57.9

$1.05 ₺51.0

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ₺47.14

$0.95 ₺46.19

2.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 ₺115

$2.30 ₺112

2.61%

Eggs

$2.64 ₺128

$2.03 ₺98.7

30.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 ₺489

$12.56 ₺610

-19.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 ₺259

$5.71 ₺277

-6.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.00 ₺971

$26.07 ₺1,266

-23.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ₺97.9

$1.42 ₺68.9

42.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 ₺104

$2.31 ₺112

-6.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ₺67.4

$1.36 ₺66.1

2.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ₺75.9

$1.38 ₺66.9

13.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₺27.47

$0.77 ₺37.56

-25.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₺25.01

$0.66 ₺32.07

-21.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₺50.4

$1.83 ₺88.8

-43.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₺33.44

$0.68 ₺33.20

1.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 ₺111

$2.61 ₺127

-12.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 ₺603

$13.28 ₺645

-6.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ₺107

$1.71 ₺83.1

29.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ₺153

$3.08 ₺150

2.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 ₺33.63

$0.72 ₺35.19

-4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.55 ₺609

$32.89 ₺1,597

-61.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ₺58.7

$1.38 ₺66.8

-12.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₺34.15

$1.01 ₺48.94

-30.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 ₺327

$5.75 ₺279

17.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₺65.1

$1.42 ₺69.0

-5.63%

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

$49.7K ₺2.4M

$42.5K ₺2.1M

17.14%

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

$42.7K ₺2.1M

$39.8K ₺1.9M

7.46%

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

$91.0 ₺4,416

$66.3 ₺3,218

37.24%

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

$10.93 ₺531

$10.03 ₺487

8.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.61 ₺855

$21.50 ₺1,044

-18.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 ₺3,280

$50.0 ₺2,428

35.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.16 ₺736

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₺398

$8.75 ₺425

-6.29%

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

$1,069 ₺51.9K

$611 ₺29.7K

74.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K ₺920.5K

$10.6K ₺515.1K

78.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.96 ₺2,426

$45.65 ₺2,217

9.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 ₺2,444

$61.8 ₺2,998

-18.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,014

$87.7 ₺4,259

17.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.6 ₺4,736

$79.6 ₺3,866

22.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$749 ₺36.4K

$435 ₺21.1K

72.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 ₺27.1K

$309 ₺15.0K

80.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 ₺58.4K

$766 ₺37.2K

56.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 ₺42.1K

$588 ₺28.6K

47.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,690 ₺82.1K

$1,489 ₺72.3K

13.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,163 ₺56.5K

$1,115 ₺54.1K

4.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,044 ₺50.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

43.33

39.17

10.62%

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

Last update for Ankara: September 6, 2026

Last update for Side: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $749 in Ankara versus $435 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 $41.00 in Ankara versus $67.0 in Side. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $276 – 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 Side: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 23% more than Side, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,069 per month in Ankara and $1,685 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 $1,069 per month in Ankara and $611 in Side. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Ankara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Side, where all-in costs run around $1,123, than in Ankara at $1,380. 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 $1,123 versus $1,380 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.