Cost of Living in Ankara

Rental prices vary by neighborhood and furnishing. City-wide averages: studios ~11,000 TL/mo ($251), one-bedrooms ~17,000 TL ($388), two-bedrooms ~25,000 TL ($571). In premium central Çankaya, one-bedrooms reach 30,000 TL (~$700). Short-term Airbnb stays run $1,350–1,800/mo, while Flatio offers better monthly rates at $350–750 with utilities often included.

Ankara is one of the most affordable capitals for dining out. Esnaf lokantası (tradesman's restaurants) serve hearty home-style meals — soup, main course with rice and bread, plus a drink — for $3.40–6. Street food is even cheaper: döner wrap $1.15–2.30, lahmacun $0.90–1.80, pide $1.80–3.40, simit $0.25–0.45, gözleme $1.15–1.80. A kebab lunch with salad, bread and ayran runs $3.40–5.70.

The grocery landscape revolves around discount chains. BIM and A101 are Turkey's Aldi equivalents, found on nearly every block with rock-bottom prices on staples. Şok has chaotic stores but great weekly discounts. Migros is the upscale option with imported goods and alcohol (use their Money Kart for proper prices). CarrefourSA sits mid-to-upper tier. Monthly grocery budget for one person cooking regularly: $150–250.

Ankara has a solid public transit network: four metro lines (M1–M4), the Ankaray light rail, Başkentray commuter rail, and EGO city buses — all running roughly 6 AM to 11:30 PM. You need an AnkaraKart (rechargeable at station machines) — a single ride costs 26 TL (~$0.59) with free transfers within 75 minutes across all rail and bus lines. Contactless bank cards work but cost more (~30 TL) without transfer discounts. Dolmuş (shared minibuses) cover off-grid routes for 30 TL (~$0.68) cash only.

Turkey's three operators — Turkcell, Vodafone, Türk Telekom — all sell prepaid tourist SIMs at the airport or city shops with your passport. Türk Telekom is cheapest: 25 GB + 750 min for 28 days at ~$23. Turkcell (strongest coverage): 20 GB + 200 min at ~$30. Vodafone: 20 GB + 750 min + unlimited WhatsApp at ~$34. All SIMs require passport registration; phones from abroad need IMEI registration within 120 days for long-term use.

Turkey has a dual healthcare system with public and private facilities, and Ankara — as the capital — has some of the country's best medical infrastructure. Private hospitals offer international-standard care with English-speaking doctors: a GP consultation costs $110–120, a specialist $150–160 at top facilities like MedicalPark, Medicana International (JCI-accredited), or Memorial Ankara (230 beds, 60 ICU). Hacettepe University Hospital is a renowned public option with 1,040 beds. Emergency rooms treat regardless of insurance ($80–150 for consultation).

Ankara is less tourist-oriented than Istanbul, so scams are rarer but still exist. The classic: a friendly stranger invites you to a specific bar/restaurant, then you get an astronomically inflated bill — never follow strangers to venues they recommend. Taxi tricks include long routes, "broken" meters, and the money-switch scam. Always use BiTaksi app. At card terminals, insist on paying in Turkish Lira to avoid currency-switching markup.