Ankara vs Bilbao

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Ankara 63% cheaper Bilbao +191 Mbps Moderate / Moderate
Nomad Cost

$1,488

Ankara

$4,073

Bilbao

Internet

56

Mbps

247

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Ankara

Moderate

Bilbao

Air Quality

5/5

Ankara

5/5

Bilbao

Healthcare

Moderate

Ankara

Low

Bilbao

Population

4.6m

Ankara

345.1k

Bilbao

Ankara (Turkey) and Bilbao (Spain) are both in Europe, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Ankara is significantly cheaper for digital nomads at $1488/mo — 63% less than Bilbao's $4073/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $31020.

For families, Ankara costs $1134.675259033381/mo compared to Bilbao's $4469.625933446125/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Bilbao leads on internet connectivity at 247 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Ankara's 56 Mbps (#125). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

Both Ankara and Bilbao share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Ankara offers better healthcare infrastructure than Bilbao — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Ankara is June (around 32 degrees, 0mm rain, score 437), while Bilbao peaks in July (28 degrees, 0mm rain, score 447). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

AnkaraBilbao
Nomad$1,488/mo$4,073/mo
Expat$709/mo$2,805/mo
Local$324/mo$1,277/mo
Family$1,135/mo$4,470/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

AnkaraBilbao
City Speed
56 Mbps#125
247 Mbps
Country Speed0 Mbps247 Mbps

Environment & Health

AnkaraBilbao
Air Quality Score5/55/5
PollutionHighLow
ClimateHighHigh
Humidity3666

Quality of Life

AnkaraBilbao
SafetyModerateModerate
HealthcareModerateLow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Ankara
Bilbao
Jan
3°
0mm364
14°
0mm407
Feb
9°
0mm387
13°
3mm338
Mar
10°
0mm383
13°
2mm381
Apr
20°
0mm417
15°
0mm410
May
20°
1mm404
18°
2mm317
Jun
32°
0mm437
22°
1mm368
Jul
32°
0mm437
28°
0mm447
Aug
31°
0mm417
28°
0mm437
Sep
27°
0mm427
21°
2mm337
Oct
16°
0mm397
22°
1mm415
Nov
11°
0mm387
17°
0mm410
Dec
5°
0mm364
12°
2mm328

Who Should Choose Ankara?

  • Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1488
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Family-friendly at $1134.675259033381/mo for families
  • Major city energy with 4.6m residents
  • Peak season in June — 32 degrees, score 437

Who Should Choose Bilbao?

  • Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 247 Mbps
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Smaller city feel with 345.1k residents
  • Peak season in July — 28 degrees, score 447

Overall Verdict

Overall, Bilbao edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $4073/mo it runs 63% cheaper than Ankara's $1488/mo, with 247 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Ankara Bilbao
ItemAnkaraBilbaoDiff
🍽️Restaurants8 items
Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.76$13.17
71%
Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$16.1$57.96
72%
McMeal or equivalent combo$3.89$8.43
54%
Cappuccino (regular)$1.68$1.67
1%
Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.28$3.16
28%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.68$3.16
15%
Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.74$2.1
65%
Water (0.33L)$0.31$1.29
76%
🛒Markets19 items
Milk (1L)$0.96$0.93
3%
White bread (500g)$0.45$1.54
71%
White rice (1kg)$1.29$1.32
2%
Eggs (12)$1.68$2.86
41%
Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.89$8.54
54%
Beef round (1kg)$8.54$13.96
39%
Local cheese (1kg)$4.95$17.28
71%
Apples (1kg)$0.75$2.05
63%
Bananas (1kg)$1.55$1.9
18%
Oranges (1kg)$0.74$1.79
59%
Tomatoes (1kg)$0.88$2.59
66%
Potatoes (1kg)$0.55$1.14
52%
Onions (1kg)$0.44$1.66
73%
Lettuce (1 head)$0.65$1.08
40%
Water (1.5L bottle)$0.24$0.89
73%
Wine, mid-range bottle$6.82$4.74
30%
Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.53$0.93
39%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.07$1.86
10%
Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.61$5.35
70%
🚌Transport8 items
One-way local transport ticket$0.38$1.26
70%
Monthly transport pass$18.73$42.15
56%
Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.54$5.14
89%
Taxi per 1km$0.32$0.95
66%
Taxi 1hr waiting$2.68$30.56
91%
Gasoline (1L)$1.4$1.72
19%
Volkswagen Golf (new)$34,882.66$21,074.9
40%
Toyota Corolla (new)$31,741.92$23,867.33
25%
⚡Utilities3 items
Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51$132.04
61%
Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$8.71$35.12
75%
Mobile prepaid per minute$0.05$0.26
81%
🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items
Fitness club, monthly$19.94$48.92
59%
Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$10.79$12.91
16%
Cinema, 1 ticket$2.68$8.43
68%
👶Childcare2 items
Preschool, full-day private/mo$199.61$435.55
54%
International primary school/yr$4,328.92$8,078.71
46%
👗Clothing4 items
Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$35.5$97.55
64%
Summer dress (chain store)$26.72$34.25
22%
Nike running shoes (mid-range)$67.38$86.56
22%
Men's leather business shoes$53.87$120.43
55%
🏠Rent4 items
1-bedroom apartment, city centre$283.17$954.96
70%
1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$154.32$816.65
81%
3-bedroom apartment, city centre$487.81$1,422.56
66%
3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$340.4$1,150.34
70%
🏗️Buy2 items
Price per m², city centre$755.37$3,977.89
81%
Price per m², outside centre$499.44$2,950.07
83%
💰Finance2 items
Average monthly net salary$371.38$1,949.29
81%
Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$20.98$2.12
90%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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