Cost of Living Comparison Between Mersin and Ankara Cost of Living Comparison Between Mersin and Ankara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,167 per month in Mersin vs $1,281 in Ankara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,720 per month in Mersin vs $1,851 in Ankara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,273 per month in Mersin vs $2,422 in Ankara, rent included.

Mersin is about 9% cheaper than Ankara, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Mersin and Ankara are more affordable than the global median – Mersin 13% lower, Ankara 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.46 ₺290

$9.35 ₺420

-30.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.86 ₺1,342

$37.78 ₺1,698

-20.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 ₺321

$8.90 ₺400

-19.78%

Cappuccino

$2.91 ₺131

$3.16 ₺142

-7.91%

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

$1.44 ₺64.5

$1.23 ₺55.3

17.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺25.97

$0.38 ₺17.26

52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 ₺168

$3.39 ₺152

10.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 ₺226

$3.79 ₺170

32.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 ₺45.44

$0.94 ₺42.30

7.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₺36.18

$0.66 ₺29.85

21.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 ₺105

$2.40 ₺108

-2.92%

Eggs

$2.05 ₺92.0

$2.28 ₺103

-10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.75 ₺618

$9.34 ₺420

47.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.89 ₺265

$5.85 ₺263

0.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.92 ₺940

$18.95 ₺852

10.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₺54.6

$1.51 ₺67.7

-19.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ₺93.2

$2.37 ₺107

-12.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 ₺44.55

$1.32 ₺59.3

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ₺67.8

$1.51 ₺68.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 ₺44.95

$0.72 ₺32.43

38.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₺26.79

$0.57 ₺25.40

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 ₺37.03

$1.11 ₺50.0

-26.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₺15.89

$0.39 ₺17.53

-10.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 ₺94.2

$2.22 ₺99.9

-5.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 ₺504

$11.06 ₺497

1.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₺92.4

$2.12 ₺95.4

-2.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₺129

$3.10 ₺139

-7.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ₺27.26

$0.65 ₺29.21

-6.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.37 ₺1,545

$9.79 ₺440

251.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₺33.27

$0.90 ₺40.47

-17.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₺27.68

$0.60 ₺26.99

3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 ₺457

$6.45 ₺290

57.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ₺48.53

$1.22 ₺54.8

-11.48%

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

$43.1K ₺1.9M

$43.0K ₺1.9M

0.33%

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

$44.1K ₺2.0M

$42.7K ₺1.9M

3.31%

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

$125 ₺5,641

$85.2 ₺3,828

47.34%

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

$9.48 ₺426

$10.87 ₺489

-12.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.48 ₺606

$14.15 ₺636

-4.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.32 ₺1,363

$55.0 ₺2,473

-44.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.97 ₺448

$14.35 ₺645

-30.52%

Cinema Ticket

$2.55 ₺115

$6.52 ₺293

-60.89%

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

$455 ₺20.5K

$619 ₺27.8K

-26.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,047 ₺226.9K

$13.8K ₺618.4K

-63.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 ₺2,297

$58.2 ₺2,615

-12.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 ₺2,864

$45.07 ₺2,026

41.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$152 ₺6,853

$104 ₺4,691

46.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 ₺2,288

$96.6 ₺4,341

-47.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 ₺22.9K

$733 ₺32.9K

-30.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₺17.5K

$533 ₺23.9K

-27.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 ₺25.7K

$1,121 ₺50.4K

-48.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 ₺27.7K

$714 ₺32.1K

-13.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,363 ₺61.3K

$1,596 ₺71.8K

-14.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,075 ₺48.3K

$1,142 ₺51.3K

-5.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$723 ₺32.5K

$1,061 ₺47.7K

-31.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.4

-33.88%

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

Last update for Mersin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ankara: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Mersin versus $733 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 47% 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 $30 in Mersin versus $38 in Ankara. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Mersin vs $235 in Ankara – so Ankara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Mersin vs Ankara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 10% more than Mersin, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,751 per month in Mersin and $1,922 in Ankara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $455 per month in Mersin and $619 in Ankara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 Mersin, where all-in costs run around $1,167, than in Ankara at $1,281. In Mersin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mersin costs $1,167 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 Mersin. 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.