Cost of Living Comparison Between Samsun and Ankara Cost of Living Comparison Between Samsun and Ankara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $991 per month in Samsun vs $1,266 in Ankara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,509 per month in Samsun vs $1,842 in Ankara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,027 per month in Samsun vs $2,418 in Ankara, rent included.

Samsun is about 22% cheaper than Ankara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Samsun and Ankara are more affordable than the global median – Samsun 26% lower, Ankara 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 ₺352

$9.67 ₺445

-20.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.10 ₺1,156

$37.89 ₺1,745

-33.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 ₺414

$8.95 ₺412

0.45%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ₺129

$3.19 ₺147

-11.91%

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

$1.30 ₺60.1

$1.21 ₺55.8

7.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₺10.99

$0.38 ₺17.67

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ₺131

$3.21 ₺148

-11.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ₺137

$3.79 ₺175

-21.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₺48.52

$0.94 ₺43.44

11.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ₺18.36

$0.65 ₺30.15

-38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 ₺180

$2.31 ₺106

68.83%

Eggs

$1.71 ₺78.8

$2.30 ₺106

-25.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 ₺419

$9.37 ₺432

-2.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 ₺461

$5.87 ₺270

70.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.35 ₺891

$19.66 ₺905

-1.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 ₺59.8

$1.47 ₺67.5

-11.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₺51.4

$2.28 ₺105

-50.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 ₺42.20

$1.30 ₺59.9

-29.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 ₺57.3

$1.54 ₺71.1

-19.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ₺27.76

$0.74 ₺34.04

-18.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₺27.83

$0.57 ₺26.31

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₺33.84

$1.08 ₺49.62

-32.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₺31.36

$0.40 ₺18.36

70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 ₺94.1

$2.14 ₺98.6

-4.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.62 ₺443

$10.73 ₺494

-10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₺92.7

$2.11 ₺97.3

-4.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₺115

$3.14 ₺145

-20.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₺27.06

$0.63 ₺29.18

-6.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.66 ₺445

$9.40 ₺433

2.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ₺104

$0.91 ₺42.01

148.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₺27.96

$0.60 ₺27.85

1.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 ₺214

$6.31 ₺290

-26.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₺51.9

$1.23 ₺56.8

-8.13%

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

$42.8K ₺2.0M

$42.7K ₺2.0M

0.36%

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

$49.6K ₺2.3M

$42.9K ₺2.0M

15.58%

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

$49.83 ₺2,295

$84.6 ₺3,897

-41.12%

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

$10.99 ₺506

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.23 ₺517

$14.09 ₺649

-20.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.3 ₺3,789

$55.5 ₺2,555

48.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.44 ₺665

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 ₺265

$6.21 ₺286

-7.41%

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

$500 ₺23.0K

$617 ₺28.4K

-18.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,735 ₺172.0K

$13.9K ₺638.8K

-73.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.79 ₺1,740

$58.7 ₺2,705

-35.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.67 ₺2,103

$43.93 ₺2,023

3.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 ₺4,042

$104 ₺4,800

-15.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.24 ₺2,083

$96.3 ₺4,435

-53.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₺23.0K

$741 ₺34.1K

-32.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 ₺15.1K

$515 ₺23.7K

-36.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 ₺33.3K

$1,093 ₺50.3K

-33.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ₺24.1K

$702 ₺32.3K

-25.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$795 ₺36.6K

$1,700 ₺78.3K

-53.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$429 ₺19.8K

$1,162 ₺53.5K

-63.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,006 ₺46.3K

$1,076 ₺49.5K

-6.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

43.33

48.4

-10.48%

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

Last update for Samsun: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ankara: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $500 in Samsun 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 7% 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 $25.00 in Samsun versus $38.00 in Ankara. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Samsun vs $236 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

Samsun vs Ankara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 28% more than Samsun, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,487 per month in Samsun 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 Samsun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $500 per month in Samsun and $617 in Ankara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 Samsun, where all-in costs run around $991, than in Ankara at $1,266. In Samsun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Samsun costs $991 versus $1,266 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 Samsun. 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.