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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,281 per month in Ankara vs $906 in Van, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,851 per month in Ankara vs $1,361 in Van, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,422 per month in Ankara vs $1,816 in Van, rent included.

Ankara costs about 41% more than Van, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ankara and Van are more affordable than the global median – Ankara 4% lower, Van 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.35 ₺420

$6.32 ₺284

47.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.78 ₺1,698

$17.60 ₺791

114.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₺400

$7.51 ₺338

18.51%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ₺142

$2.97 ₺133

6.40%

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

$1.23 ₺55.3

$0.90 ₺40.60

36.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₺17.26

$0.26 ₺11.79

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 ₺152

$4.24 ₺190

-20.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ₺170

$3.85 ₺173

-1.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 ₺42.30

$1.09 ₺49.21

-13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 ₺29.85

$0.78 ₺35.21

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 ₺108

$2.31 ₺104

3.90%

Eggs

$2.28 ₺103

$1.86 ₺83.6

22.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 ₺420

$9.45 ₺425

-1.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 ₺263

$5.52 ₺248

5.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 ₺852

$16.20 ₺728

16.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 ₺67.7

$1.09 ₺49.11

38.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ₺107

$2.17 ₺97.7

9.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 ₺59.3

$1.06 ₺47.69

24.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ₺68.0

$0.87 ₺38.92

73.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ₺32.43

$0.68 ₺30.48

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ₺25.40

$0.59 ₺26.59

-3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₺50.0

$0.90 ₺40.67

23.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₺17.53

$0.52 ₺23.54

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 ₺99.9

$2.05 ₺92.2

8.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 ₺497

$13.45 ₺605

-17.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₺95.4

$2.20 ₺99.0

-3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₺139

$2.57 ₺116

20.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 ₺29.21

$0.41 ₺18.55

58.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.79 ₺440

$48.71 ₺2,189

-79.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 ₺40.47

$1.56 ₺70.2

-42.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₺26.99

$0.62 ₺27.71

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ₺290

$8.62 ₺388

-25.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺54.8

$1.19 ₺53.5

2.52%

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

$43.0K ₺1.9M

$40.0K ₺1.8M

7.43%

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

$42.7K ₺1.9M

$41.8K ₺1.9M

2.18%

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

$85.2 ₺3,828

$95.7 ₺4,301

-10.99%

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

$10.87 ₺489

$10.27 ₺462

5.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.15 ₺636

$8.97 ₺403

57.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ₺2,473

$30.04 ₺1,350

83.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 ₺645

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ₺293

$3.00 ₺135

117.33%

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

$619 ₺27.8K

0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₺618.4K

$7,719 ₺347.0K

78.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ₺2,615

$70.1 ₺3,152

-17.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.07 ₺2,026

$30.50 ₺1,371

47.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ₺4,691

$86.3 ₺3,881

20.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,341

$50.5 ₺2,269

91.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ₺32.9K

$320 ₺14.4K

128.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 ₺23.9K

$230 ₺10.3K

131.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 ₺50.4K

$557 ₺25.0K

101.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 ₺32.1K

$381 ₺17.1K

87.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,596 ₺71.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 ₺51.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,061 ₺47.7K

$563 ₺25.3K

88.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.4

36.83

31.41%

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

Last update for Ankara: April 20, 2026

Last update for Van: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Ankara versus $320 in Van. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 89% higher in Ankara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Ankara versus $18 in Van. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $223 – 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 Getting Around. 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 $1,359 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 $619 per month in Ankara and $619 in Van. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $906, than in Ankara at $1,281. 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 $906 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 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.