Cost of Living Comparison Between Van and Ankara Cost of Living Comparison Between Van and Ankara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $894 per month in Van vs $1,288 in Ankara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Van vs $1,835 in Ankara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,770 per month in Van vs $2,383 in Ankara, rent included.

Van is about 31% cheaper than Ankara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Van and Ankara are more affordable than the global median – Van 34% lower, Ankara 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₺301

$9.63 ₺444

-32.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.71 ₺816

$38.10 ₺1,757

-53.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 ₺347

$9.00 ₺415

-16.33%

Cappuccino

$2.84 ₺131

$3.31 ₺152

-14.20%

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

$0.91 ₺41.82

$1.22 ₺56.2

-25.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₺10.99

$0.41 ₺19.07

-41.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.24 ₺196

$3.34 ₺154

26.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 ₺173

$3.72 ₺171

0.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₺48.43

$1.01 ₺46.35

3.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₺33.64

$0.69 ₺31.82

5.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 ₺106

$2.34 ₺108

-1.71%

Eggs

$1.85 ₺85.4

$2.33 ₺107

-20.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 ₺444

$9.55 ₺440

0.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺258

$5.96 ₺275

-6.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 ₺753

$19.02 ₺877

-14.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 ₺48.69

$1.53 ₺70.4

-30.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 ₺100

$2.31 ₺107

-5.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 ₺50.9

$1.31 ₺60.4

-16.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 ₺39.28

$1.52 ₺70.1

-44.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₺32.21

$0.68 ₺31.40

2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺27.24

$0.61 ₺27.94

-3.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ₺39.97

$1.08 ₺49.84

-19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₺24.16

$0.40 ₺18.27

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 ₺95.2

$2.13 ₺98.1

-2.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 ₺493

$10.91 ₺503

-2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ₺98.4

$2.11 ₺97.4

0.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 ₺119

$3.12 ₺144

-17.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ₺20.59

$0.69 ₺31.69

-34.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.34 ₺2,229

$9.60 ₺442

403.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ₺72.0

$0.87 ₺40.03

79.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₺30.26

$0.62 ₺28.56

6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 ₺404

$6.37 ₺294

37.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺55.6

$1.17 ₺54.0

3.42%

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

$40.4K ₺1.9M

$42.5K ₺2.0M

-4.91%

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

$41.7K ₺1.9M

$44.2K ₺2.0M

-5.72%

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

$95.1 ₺4,383

$85.5 ₺3,942

11.17%

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

$10.32 ₺476

$10.95 ₺505

-5.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.84 ₺407

$13.87 ₺640

-36.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.31 ₺1,397

$55.3 ₺2,551

-45.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.67 ₺676

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 ₺143

$6.22 ₺287

-50.16%

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

$615 ₺28.4K

$602 ₺27.8K

2.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,710 ₺355.5K

$13.8K ₺634.7K

-44.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 ₺3,218

$59.0 ₺2,718

18.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.04 ₺1,385

$43.88 ₺2,023

-31.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 ₺4,020

$107 ₺4,948

-18.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.4 ₺2,325

$98.7 ₺4,552

-48.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 ₺14.9K

$737 ₺34.0K

-56.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 ₺10.4K

$514 ₺23.7K

-56.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 ₺25.1K

$1,115 ₺51.4K

-51.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 ₺17.5K

$721 ₺33.2K

-47.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,455 ₺67.1K

$1,690 ₺77.9K

-13.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$825 ₺38.0K

$1,155 ₺53.2K

-28.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 ₺25.4K

$1,094 ₺50.4K

-49.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

36.83

48.4

-23.90%

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

Last update for Van: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ankara: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $323 in Van versus $737 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 98% 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 $18.00 in Van versus $38.00 in Ankara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $236 – making Van 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

Van vs Ankara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankara costs about 44% more than Van, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,340 per month in Van and $1,932 in Ankara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $615 per month in Van and $602 in Ankara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 Van, where all-in costs run around $894, than in Ankara at $1,288. In Van it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Van costs $894 versus $1,288 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 Van. 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.