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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $928 per month in Samsun vs $1,347 in Ankara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,624 per month in Samsun vs $2,044 in Ankara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,320 per month in Samsun vs $2,741 in Ankara, rent included.

Samsun is about 31% cheaper than Ankara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Samsun and Ankara are more affordable than the global median – Samsun 32% lower, Ankara 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 ₺391

$10.50 ₺508

-23.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.4 ₺2,974

$41.77 ₺2,022

47.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 ₺382

$9.18 ₺444

-13.94%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ₺164

$3.89 ₺188

-12.85%

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

$0.95 ₺45.93

$1.63 ₺79.1

-41.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₺13.15

$0.66 ₺32.14

-59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ₺97.0

$5.13 ₺248

-61.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 ₺127

$5.63 ₺272

-53.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺55.7

$1.15 ₺55.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ₺82.4

$0.90 ₺43.77

88.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 ₺138

$2.33 ₺113

21.89%

Eggs

$2.59 ₺126

$2.57 ₺125

0.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.39 ₺406

$10.11 ₺489

-17.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 ₺286

$5.29 ₺256

11.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.61 ₺1,191

$20.31 ₺983

21.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₺114

$2.02 ₺97.7

16.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 ₺115

$2.14 ₺103

11.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 ₺74.3

$1.36 ₺65.9

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₺51.6

$1.54 ₺74.4

-30.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ₺22.99

$0.56 ₺26.87

-16.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₺18.11

$0.49 ₺23.76

-24.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ₺43.98

$1.03 ₺49.68

-11.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺27.97

$0.68 ₺33.08

-14.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 ₺101

$2.23 ₺108

-6.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.23 ₺447

$12.20 ₺591

-24.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₺79.8

$2.15 ₺104

-23.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₺110

$3.04 ₺147

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ₺29.38

$0.74 ₺35.66

-17.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.68 ₺517

$12.40 ₺600

-13.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ₺88.4

$1.21 ₺58.4

51.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₺27.68

$0.74 ₺35.62

-22.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 ₺258

$5.47 ₺265

-2.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺59.3

$1.34 ₺64.7

-8.96%

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

$42.4K ₺2.1M

$49.7K ₺2.4M

-14.62%

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

$40.2K ₺1.9M

$42.2K ₺2.0M

-4.66%

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

$91.3 ₺4,419

$89.0 ₺4,308

2.57%

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

$11.54 ₺559

$10.58 ₺512

9.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.65 ₺613

$17.49 ₺847

-27.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.92 ₺1,545

$65.7 ₺3,182

-51.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.14 ₺297

$14.71 ₺712

-58.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 ₺205

$7.92 ₺384

-46.46%

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

$260 ₺12.6K

$1,034 ₺50.1K

-74.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K ₺879.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.91 ₺1,351

$47.39 ₺2,294

-41.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.63 ₺1,531

$49.52 ₺2,397

-36.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 ₺3,551

$101 ₺4,865

-27.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.93 ₺2,417

$92.9 ₺4,499

-46.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 ₺17.8K

$739 ₺35.8K

-50.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 ₺12.3K

$553 ₺26.8K

-54.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₺37.5K

$1,192 ₺57.7K

-35.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 ₺29.9K

$877 ₺42.4K

-29.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$981 ₺47.5K

$1,662 ₺80.5K

-40.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$675 ₺32.7K

$1,135 ₺55.0K

-40.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$954 ₺46.2K

$1,060 ₺51.3K

-10.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

42.86

14.33%

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

Last update for Samsun: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ankara: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $368 in Samsun versus $739 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 11% 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 $61.0 in Samsun versus $42.00 in Ankara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $250 – 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

Samsun vs Ankara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 45% more than Samsun, 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 $1,392 per month in Samsun and $2,021 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 $260 per month in Samsun and $1,034 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 $928, than in Ankara at $1,347. 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 $928 versus $1,347 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.