Ankara: Türkiye's inland capital of ministries, campuses, and calmer streets
A city of about 5.8 million on the Anatolian plateau, with embassies, universities, and the Anıtkabir mausoleum, and a more orderly feel than Istanbul.
- 5,803,482
- Population (2023)
- $1,600/mo
- Monthly budget · single
- 55°F / 13°C
- Avg temperature
Budget about $1,600 a month for one person in Ankara, and most singles land somewhere between $1,400 and $1,900. A couple spends around $2,400, and a family of four about $3,400. A one-bedroom in the center averages $700 a month, or $450 farther out, and home internet runs about $15.
Ankara suits people whose work or study ties them to the Turkish government, an embassy, or a university. It also suits anyone who'd give up a coastline for lower rent, big hospitals, and a quieter routine than Istanbul.
The trade-off is the plateau. Winters are cold, with January highs averaging near 41F, and outside diplomatic and academic circles the foreign community is small. Come ready to make friends in Turkish.
Reviewed and updated October 8, 2026 · 3 min read
At a glance
$1,600
Monthly budget · single person
$700/mo 1-bed rent, center
62/100
Safety index
$15
Internet / month
55°Fannual average
Jan 35° · Jul 76°
Climate
5,803,482
Population (2023)
Expatsi estimates, updated Oct 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Cost of living
What it costs to live in Ankara
Single person
$1,400–$1,900/mo
about 50% below Austin, TX
Couple
$1,900–$2,800/mo
about 50% below Austin, TX
Family of four
$2,800–$4,000/mo
about 55% below Austin, TX
Compared with Austin, TX (Expatsi estimate, 2026).
- $5 −75%
- Inexpensive meal
- $550–$800/mo −64%
- 1-bed rent, center
- $400–$550/mo −67%
- 1-bed rent, outside
- $15/mo −77%
- Internet
- $111/sq ft −83%
- Buy price, center
Expatsi estimates, updated Oct 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Daily life
How Ankara lives
- B grade, 46th percentile among the cities we track
- Dining & caféstypical
- B+ grade, 67th percentile among the cities we track
- Arts & culturestrong
- B grade, 41st percentile among the cities we track
- Parks & outdoorstypical
- B+ grade, 59th percentile among the cities we track
- Schools & educationstrong
- A- grade, 77th percentile among the cities we track
- Healthcare accessstrong
- B- grade, 37th percentile among the cities we track
- Bike infrastructuretypical
- A- grade, 71st percentile among the cities we track
- Public transitstrong
- A grade, good physical accessibility
- Accessibilitygood
Graded on OpenStreetMap amenity density relative to the 298 cities we track. Accessibility is the exception: it's graded against a fixed standard (terrain steepness and sidewalk surfaces), not a curve.
Climate
Weather through the year
Annual average 55°F (13°C) · 16 in of rain a year · Source: Meteostat station normals (17130, 1991-2020)
On the ground
Scenes from Ankara
Getting around
Transport in Ankara
Most people here get around by rail and bus on one card. The network is the Ankaray light rail plus the metro lines, and the Başkentray commuter train crosses the city east to west and connects with the metro. Buses cover the rest of the map. The AnkaraKart, which locals also call the EGO card, is prepaid and works on all of it.
Yellow taxis are easy to find but cost more than anything else on this list. BiTaksi is the app locals use to call a licensed cab. Most drivers don't speak English, so keep a translation app open.
Do you need a car? Not if you live near a metro line in the center. Driving means narrow one-way backstreets and assertive local drivers. People in the outer suburbs often keep one for the commute anyway.
Leaving town is easy. The YHT high-speed train reaches Istanbul in about four to five hours. Esenboğa Airport sits about 21 miles northeast of the center, roughly 45 minutes by road, and Belkoair buses connect it to the AŞTİ bus terminal and Kızılay, where you can step onto the metro.
- 48/sq mi
- Transit stops
- 2.1/sq mi
- Bike infrastructure
- 5.1/sq mi
- Wheelchair-accessible places
Mapped features per square mile from OpenStreetMap.
Keep exploring
Places like Ankara
Debrecen
Hungary
202.1K people · $1,600/mo
Pécs
Hungary
139.4K people · $1,400/mo
Coming soonSzeged
Hungary
157.3K people · $1,400/mo
Coming soonVarna
Bulgaria
322.7K people · $1,300/mo
Oviedo
Spain
224K people · $1,800/mo
Coming soonViña del Mar
Chile
332.9K people · $1,400/mo
Practical notes
Living in Ankara, beyond the embassy circuit
Who you'll meet
As the capital, Ankara has a large diplomatic community, and much of its foreign population works at embassies, international organizations, or universities. That's a different crowd from the retirees and remote workers on the coast. If you arrive without one of those institutions behind you, expect a smaller English-speaking circle and plan on learning Turkish for everyday life.
Healthcare
Big public hospitals are part of why people pick Ankara. Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, in the Bilkent quarter of Çankaya, opened in March 2019 with 3,704 beds, and covers cardiac surgery, oncology, neurology, and orthopedics. It's a public hospital, so line up insurance and ask which doctors see patients in English before you need one.
Schools
Families have real options. Oasis International School teaches an American curriculum, Bilkent Laboratory and International School offers the IB, and the British Embassy School Ankara follows the English National Curriculum. Places are competitive, so apply well before you move and confirm fees directly with each school.
Working remotely
Home internet averages about $15 a month in our data, which makes a home office the easy default. Ankara isn't a nomad hub, so don't count on a coworking scene to build your social life for you.
Limited mobility
Ankara set out in 2014 to put elevators in all of its metro stations and to require accessible vehicles on new transit, ahead of other Turkish cities. We couldn't confirm how far that went, so ride your own daily routes before you sign a lease, and ask about building elevators and the entrance steps.
Retiring here
Ankara makes sense for retirees who care more about hospital access and rent than a beach, and who don't mind real winters. Before you commit, read up on how Americans stay past 90 days. Start with our guide to retirement visas, the Türkiye residence permit, and our full guide to moving to Türkiye.
Housing
Renting and buying
- 1-bed rent (center)
- $550–$800/mo
- 1-bed rent (outside center)
- $400–$550/mo
- Buy price (center)
- $111/sq ft
- Buy price (outside center)
- $74/sq ft
Expatsi estimates, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a car in Ankara?
Not if you live near a metro line in the center. One prepaid AnkaraKart covers the Ankaray, the metro, buses, and the Başkentray commuter train, and BiTaksi calls licensed taxis. People in the outer suburbs often keep a car for commuting.
How cold does Ankara get in winter?
In January, average highs are near 41F and average lows near 28F. Summers are hot and dry, with July and August highs averaging around 88F. The city gets about 16 inches of precipitation a year.
Is Ankara a good place to retire?
It can be, if you value large hospitals and lower rent over a coastline. Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, which opened in 2019, has 3,704 beds. The downsides are cold winters and a small English-speaking community outside embassy and university circles. Sort out your residence permit before you choose an apartment.
Is Ankara safe for Americans?
Ankara scores 62 out of 100 on the safety index in our 2026 city data. The U.S. State Department rates Türkiye Level 2, exercise increased caution, in an advisory issued in June 2026, citing terrorism, armed conflict, and arbitrary detentions. It notes that terrorists have attacked U.S. interests in the past, including the U.S. Embassy in Ankara. Its stricter do-not-travel warning covers only the areas within 6 miles of the Syrian and Iraqi borders.
How do you get from Ankara to Istanbul?
The YHT high-speed train makes the trip in about four to five hours, and tickets can sell out around holidays, so book ahead online. Flying is the other option, from Esenboğa Airport, about 21 miles northeast of central Ankara.
Is Ankara cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes, by our 2026 numbers. One person needs about $1,600 a month in Ankara versus about $1,900 in Istanbul, and a central one-bedroom averages $700 against $800. The trade is a smaller foreign community and colder winters.
How much does it cost to live in Ankara?
One person needs about $1,600 a month in Ankara, with a typical range of $1,400 to $1,900. A couple spends about $2,400 a month. A one-bedroom apartment in the city center averages $700 a month. These are 2026 estimates in U.S. dollars, and lira prices rise quickly, so recheck rents before you sign.
See how Ankara fits your life
Take the free Expatsi Test and compare Türkiye to over 100 countries on what actually matters: cost, healthcare, climate, and safety. About five minutes.
Why not you?