Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Van Cost of Living Comparison Between Ankara and Van

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,380 per month in Ankara vs $977 in Van, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,039 per month in Ankara vs $1,539 in Van, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,699 per month in Ankara vs $2,101 in Van, rent included.

Ankara costs about 41% more than Van, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ankara sits 0% above the global median, while Van is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.28 ₺499

$7.58 ₺368

35.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.24 ₺2,002

$33.97 ₺1,649

21.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 ₺461

$7.33 ₺356

29.60%

Cappuccino

$3.95 ₺192

$3.25 ₺158

21.54%

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

$1.74 ₺84.3

$1.18 ₺57.5

47.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₺33.07

$0.41 ₺19.84

65.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 ₺244

$2.64 ₺128

90.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 ₺285

$3.70 ₺180

58.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 ₺57.9

$0.96 ₺46.49

23.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ₺47.14

$1.06 ₺51.4

-8.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 ₺115

$2.18 ₺106

8.26%

Eggs

$2.64 ₺128

$1.52 ₺74.0

73.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 ₺489

$7.98 ₺387

26.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 ₺259

$4.16 ₺202

28.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.00 ₺971

$22.91 ₺1,112

-12.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ₺97.9

$1.84 ₺89.4

9.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 ₺104

$1.90 ₺92.1

13.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ₺67.4

$1.02 ₺49.70

36.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ₺75.9

$1.26 ₺61.3

23.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₺27.47

$0.53 ₺25.94

7.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₺25.01

$0.38 ₺18.41

36.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₺50.4

$0.85 ₺41.18

22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₺33.44

$0.58 ₺27.96

18.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 ₺111

$2.12 ₺103

8.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 ₺603

$10.82 ₺525

14.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ₺107

$2.07 ₺101

6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ₺153

$2.50 ₺122

26.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 ₺33.63

$0.69 ₺33.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.55 ₺609

$30.35 ₺1,474

-58.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ₺58.7

$1.22 ₺59.4

-0.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₺34.15

$0.81 ₺39.19

-13.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 ₺327

$4.70 ₺228

43.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₺65.1

$1.33 ₺64.4

0.75%

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

$49.7K ₺2.4M

$43.2K ₺2.1M

15.16%

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

$42.7K ₺2.1M

$39.7K ₺1.9M

7.76%

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

$91.0 ₺4,416

$70.9 ₺3,442

28.30%

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

$10.93 ₺531

$9.37 ₺455

16.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.61 ₺855

$13.95 ₺678

26.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 ₺3,280

$54.6 ₺2,653

23.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.16 ₺736

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₺398

$5.77 ₺280

42.11%

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

$1,069 ₺51.9K

$637 ₺30.9K

67.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K ₺920.5K

$13.0K ₺629.7K

46.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.96 ₺2,426

$50.3 ₺2,441

-0.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 ₺2,444

$35.47 ₺1,722

41.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,014

$75.3 ₺3,654

37.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.6 ₺4,736

$70.6 ₺3,428

38.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$749 ₺36.4K

$464 ₺22.5K

61.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 ₺27.1K

$321 ₺15.6K

73.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 ₺58.4K

$875 ₺42.5K

37.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 ₺42.1K

$619 ₺30.0K

40.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,690 ₺82.1K

$1,502 ₺72.9K

12.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,163 ₺56.5K

$1,060 ₺51.5K

9.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,044 ₺50.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

43.33

41.26

5.02%

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

Last update for Ankara: September 6, 2026

Last update for Van: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $749 in Ankara versus $464 in Van. 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 $34.00 in Van. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $229 – making Van 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 Van: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 41% more than Van, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $2,069 per month in Ankara and $1,465 in Van. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Van, 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 $637 in Van. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 Van, where all-in costs run around $977, than in Ankara at $1,380. In Van it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Van costs $977 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 Van. 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.