Cost of Living Comparison Between Side and Ankara Cost of Living Comparison Between Side and Ankara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,076 per month in Side vs $1,281 in Ankara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,642 per month in Side vs $1,851 in Ankara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,208 per month in Side vs $2,422 in Ankara, rent included.

Side is about 16% cheaper than Ankara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Side and Ankara are more affordable than the global median – Side 20% lower, Ankara 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 ₺350

$9.35 ₺420

-16.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 ₺1,047

$37.78 ₺1,698

-38.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 ₺278

$8.90 ₺400

-30.56%

Cappuccino

$2.64 ₺119

$3.16 ₺142

-16.46%

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

$1.74 ₺78.0

$1.23 ₺55.3

41.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.24

$0.38 ₺17.26

23.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 ₺141

$3.39 ₺152

-7.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ₺184

$3.79 ₺170

8.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 ₺37.96

$0.94 ₺42.30

-10.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₺44.13

$0.66 ₺29.85

48.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₺39.38

$2.40 ₺108

-63.33%

Eggs

$1.77 ₺79.5

$2.28 ₺103

-22.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 ₺377

$9.34 ₺420

-10.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 ₺240

$5.85 ₺263

-8.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.31 ₺733

$18.95 ₺852

-13.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 ₺45.32

$1.51 ₺67.7

-33.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ₺93.9

$2.37 ₺107

-11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 ₺32.71

$1.32 ₺59.3

-44.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 ₺49.76

$1.51 ₺68.0

-26.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 ₺24.97

$0.72 ₺32.43

-22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 ₺20.33

$0.57 ₺25.40

-21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₺56.9

$1.11 ₺50.0

14.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₺15.30

$0.39 ₺17.53

-12.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 ₺92.0

$2.22 ₺99.9

-7.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.72 ₺392

$11.06 ₺497

-21.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₺76.6

$2.12 ₺95.4

-19.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₺95.3

$3.10 ₺139

-31.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ₺28.09

$0.65 ₺29.21

-3.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.68 ₺1,379

$9.79 ₺440

213.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ₺48.74

$0.90 ₺40.47

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₺27.31

$0.60 ₺26.99

1.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 ₺344

$6.45 ₺290

18.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₺52.0

$1.22 ₺54.8

-4.92%

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

$40.1K ₺1.8M

$43.0K ₺1.9M

-6.79%

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

$42.7K ₺1.9M

-0.10%

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

$48.43 ₺2,177

$85.2 ₺3,828

-43.14%

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

$8.03 ₺361

$10.87 ₺489

-26.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.49 ₺292

$14.15 ₺636

-54.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.64 ₺1,917

$55.0 ₺2,473

-22.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 ₺645

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ₺291

$6.52 ₺293

-0.77%

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

$619 ₺27.8K

-0.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,974 ₺403.4K

$13.8K ₺618.4K

-34.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 ₺3,379

$58.2 ₺2,615

29.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 ₺2,053

$45.07 ₺2,026

1.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$163 ₺7,318

$104 ₺4,691

55.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ₺5,025

$96.6 ₺4,341

15.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ₺23.0K

$733 ₺32.9K

-30.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 ₺17.8K

$533 ₺23.9K

-25.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 ₺40.0K

$1,121 ₺50.4K

-20.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 ₺31.6K

$714 ₺32.1K

-1.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,382 ₺62.1K

$1,596 ₺71.8K

-13.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,010 ₺45.4K

$1,142 ₺51.3K

-11.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,061 ₺47.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.4

-58.68%

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

Last update for Side: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ankara: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $513 in Side 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Side versus $38 in Ankara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $235 – making Side 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

Side vs Ankara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 19% more than Side, 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 $1,614 per month in Side 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 Side, 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 Side and $619 in Ankara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 Side, where all-in costs run around $1,076, than in Ankara at $1,281. In Side it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Side costs $1,076 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 Side. 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.