Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Ankara Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Ankara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Istanbul vs $1,266 in Ankara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Istanbul vs $1,842 in Ankara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,970 per month in Istanbul vs $2,418 in Ankara, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 16% more than Ankara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Istanbul sits 10% above the global median, while Ankara is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 ₺535

$9.67 ₺445

20.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 ₺2,375

$37.89 ₺1,745

36.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₺346

$8.95 ₺412

-15.98%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ₺159

$3.19 ₺147

8.15%

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

$1.30 ₺60.1

$1.21 ₺55.8

7.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₺21.38

$0.38 ₺17.67

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₺173

$3.21 ₺148

16.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₺228

$3.79 ₺175

30.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ₺49.02

$0.94 ₺43.44

12.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺38.06

$0.65 ₺30.15

27.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₺105

$2.31 ₺106

-1.73%

Eggs

$2.63 ₺121

$2.30 ₺106

14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 ₺467

$9.37 ₺432

8.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ₺299

$5.87 ₺270

10.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.52 ₺899

$19.66 ₺905

-0.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺69.2

$1.47 ₺67.5

2.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 ₺105

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺59.3

$1.30 ₺59.9

-0.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺75.1

$1.54 ₺71.1

5.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺32.78

$0.74 ₺34.04

-4.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.60

$0.57 ₺26.31

28.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺51.9

$1.08 ₺49.62

4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺26.34

$0.40 ₺18.36

42.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺99.0

$2.14 ₺98.6

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 ₺560

$10.73 ₺494

13.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₺98.5

$2.11 ₺97.3

1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₺146

$3.14 ₺145

1.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.33

$0.63 ₺29.18

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ₺2,520

$9.40 ₺433

482.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺48.53

$0.91 ₺42.01

15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₺26.79

$0.60 ₺27.85

-3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₺412

$6.31 ₺290

41.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺55.7

$1.23 ₺56.8

-1.63%

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

$45.1K ₺2.1M

$42.7K ₺2.0M

5.77%

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

$43.3K ₺2.0M

$42.9K ₺2.0M

0.97%

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

$73.2 ₺3,370

$84.6 ₺3,897

-13.54%

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

$12.25 ₺564

$10.99 ₺506

11.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.15 ₺697

$14.09 ₺649

7.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₺2,843

$55.5 ₺2,555

11.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 ₺864

$14.44 ₺665

29.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 ₺356

$6.21 ₺286

24.48%

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

$938 ₺43.2K

$617 ₺28.4K

52.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K ₺841.2K

$13.9K ₺638.8K

31.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ₺2,574

$58.7 ₺2,705

-4.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.45 ₺2,185

$43.93 ₺2,023

8.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₺5,277

$104 ₺4,800

9.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,876

$96.3 ₺4,435

9.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 ₺43.7K

$741 ₺34.1K

28.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₺28.5K

$515 ₺23.7K

20.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 ₺81.5K

$1,093 ₺50.3K

61.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 ₺48.2K

$702 ₺32.3K

49.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,147 ₺144.9K

$1,700 ₺78.3K

85.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,664 ₺76.6K

$1,162 ₺53.5K

43.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺55.4K

$1,076 ₺49.5K

11.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

48.4

0.06%

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

Last update for Istanbul: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ankara: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Istanbul versus $741 in Ankara. 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 12% higher in Istanbul, 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 $52.0 in Istanbul versus $38.00 in Ankara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $236 – 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

Istanbul vs Ankara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul costs about 16% more than Ankara, 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 $2,207 per month in Istanbul and $1,899 in Ankara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ankara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $938 per month in Istanbul and $617 in Ankara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ankara, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Istanbul at $1,472. In Ankara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ankara costs $1,266 versus $1,472 in Istanbul. 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 Ankara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.