Cost of Living Comparison Between Sterling and Ankara Cost of Living Comparison Between Sterling and Ankara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,700 per month in Sterling vs $1,266 in Ankara, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,934 per month in Sterling vs $1,842 in Ankara, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,167 per month in Sterling vs $2,418 in Ankara, rent included.

Sterling costs about 113% more than Ankara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sterling sits 102% above the global median, while Ankara is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.87 $19.87

$9.67 ₺444

105.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.4 $84.4

$37.89 ₺1,741

122.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.30 $13.30

$8.95 ₺411

48.60%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$3.19 ₺147

73.35%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$1.21 ₺55.7

130.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.38 ₺17.63

494.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.21 ₺148

83.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 $7.96

$3.79 ₺174

110.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.94 ₺43.34

-2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$0.65 ₺30.08

423.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.31 ₺106

-3.46%

Eggs

$4.94 $4.94

$2.30 ₺106

114.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$9.37 ₺431

103.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.03 $12.03

$5.87 ₺270

104.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.16 $18.16

$19.66 ₺903

-7.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$1.47 ₺67.3

212.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.28 ₺105

-43.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$1.30 ₺59.7

455.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.71 $6.71

$1.54 ₺70.9

335.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$0.74 ₺33.96

370.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$0.57 ₺26.25

385.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.08 ₺49.51

104.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$0.40 ₺18.32

497.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.88 $8.88

$2.14 ₺98.4

314.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 $14.16

$10.73 ₺493

31.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.11 ₺97.1

-19.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.14 ₺144

55.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.63 ₺29.11

220.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.40 ₺432

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 $4.60

$0.91 ₺41.91

405.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.60 ₺27.79

135.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.13 $29.13

$6.31 ₺290

361.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.23 ₺56.7

-33.33%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$42.7K ₺2.0M

-37.42%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$42.9K ₺2.0M

-43.71%

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

$212 $212

$84.6 ₺3,888

150.90%

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

$52.6 $52.6

$10.99 ₺505

378.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 $74.0

$14.09 ₺647

425.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.39 $29.39

$55.5 ₺2,549

-47.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.44 ₺664

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 $15.18

$6.21 ₺285

144.44%

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

$1,721 $1,721

$617 ₺28.3K

179.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$13.9K ₺637.4K

72.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.42 $47.42

$58.7 ₺2,699

-19.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.44 $44.44

$43.93 ₺2,018

1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 $96.3

$104 ₺4,789

-7.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$96.3 ₺4,425

26.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 $1,268

$741 ₺34.1K

71.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 $1,349

$515 ₺23.7K

161.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,964 $1,964

$1,093 ₺50.2K

79.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,214 $2,214

$702 ₺32.2K

215.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,176 $3,176

$1,700 ₺78.1K

86.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,409 $2,409

$1,162 ₺53.4K

107.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,789 $3,789

$1,076 ₺49.4K

252.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

48.4

-86.43%

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

Last update for Sterling: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ankara: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,268 in Sterling 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 252% higher in Sterling, 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 $84.0 in Sterling versus $38.00 in Ankara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $437 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

Sterling vs Ankara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sterling costs about 113% more than Ankara, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,050 per month in Sterling 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Sterling and $38.00 in Ankara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% more in Sterling, 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 Sterling at $2,700. In Ankara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sterling it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ankara costs $1,266 versus $2,700 in Sterling. 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, Sterling makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.