Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Ankara vs Bucharest

Ankara vs Bucharest

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Ankara 27% cheaper Bucharest +226 Mbps Moderate / High

Ankara

inlovew photography/Unsplash

Bucharest

at/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,488

Ankara

$2,045

Bucharest

Internet

Mbps

282

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Ankara

High

Bucharest

Air Quality

5/5

Ankara

5/5

Bucharest

Healthcare

Moderate

Ankara

High

Bucharest

Population

4.6m

Ankara

1.8m

Bucharest

Ankara (Turkey) and Bucharest (Romania) 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

The monthly savings are substantial — Ankara at $1488/mo costs 27% less than Bucharest at $2045/mo, adding up to $6684 over a year.

For families, Ankara costs $1134.675259033381/mo compared to Bucharest's $2687.349136512255/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

For bandwidth-intensive work, Bucharest has a clear edge at 282 Mbps (#8 globally) compared to Ankara's 56 Mbps (#125).

Quality of Life

Bucharest has a stronger safety profile than Ankara, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Bucharest offers better healthcare infrastructure than Ankara — 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 Bucharest peaks in June (33 degrees, 0mm rain, score 470). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

AnkaraBucharest

Nomad$1,488/mo$2,045/mo

Expat$709/mo$1,293/mo

Local$324/mo$768/mo

Family$1,135/mo$2,687/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

AnkaraBucharest

City Speed

56 Mbps#125

282 Mbps#8

Country Speed0 Mbps84 Mbps

Environment & Health

AnkaraBucharest

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighHigh

ClimateHighHigh

Humidity3673

Quality of Life

AnkaraBucharest

SafetyModerateHigh

HealthcareModerateHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Ankara

Bucharest

Jan

3°

0mm364

2°

0mm410

Feb

9°

0mm387

10°

0mm420

Mar

10°

0mm383

9°

0mm420

Apr

20°

0mm417

19°

0mm450

May

20°

1mm404

20°

0mm447

Jun

32°

0mm437

33°

0mm470

Jul

32°

0mm437

35°

0mm450

Aug

31°

0mm417

34°

0mm450

Sep

27°

0mm427

25°

0mm470

Oct

16°

0mm397

18°

0mm430

Nov

11°

0mm387

5°

0mm410

Dec

5°

0mm364

3°

0mm407

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 Bucharest?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 282 Mbps
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2687.349136512255/mo for families
Peak season in June — 33 degrees, score 470

Overall Verdict

The data favors Bucharest as the more well-rounded choice. At $2045/mo versus Ankara's $1488/mo, that is a 27% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Ankara Bucharest

ItemAnkaraBucharestDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.76$10.7

65%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$16.1$42.82

62%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.89$5.78

33%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.68$2.61

36%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.28$2.14

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.68$2.57

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.74$1.87

60%

Water (0.33L)$0.31$1.62

81%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$0.96$1.55

38%

White bread (500g)$0.45$1

55%

White rice (1kg)$1.29$1.63

21%

Eggs (12)$1.68$2.74

39%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.89$6.04

36%

Beef round (1kg)$8.54$9.61

11%

Local cheese (1kg)$4.95$7.31

32%

Apples (1kg)$0.75$1.03

27%

Bananas (1kg)$1.55$1.45

Oranges (1kg)$0.74$1.39

47%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.88$1.68

48%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.55$0.75

27%

Onions (1kg)$0.44$0.76

42%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.65$0.75

13%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.24$0.63

62%

Wine, mid-range bottle$6.82$6.42

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.53$0.89

42%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.07$1.42

31%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.61$5.14

69%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.38$0.64

41%

Monthly transport pass$18.73$17.13

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.54$0.6

10%

Taxi per 1km$0.32$0.58

45%

Taxi 1hr waiting$2.68$6.21

57%

Gasoline (1L)$1.4$1.75

20%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$34,882.66$21,876.11

37%

Toyota Corolla (new)$31,741.92$23,129.14

27%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51$118.89

57%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$8.71$8.37

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.05$0.08

38%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$19.94$45.69

56%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$10.79$18.14

41%

Cinema, 1 ticket$2.68$7.49

64%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$199.61$477.49

58%

International primary school/yr$4,328.92$8,565.16

49%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$35.5$72.85

51%

Summer dress (chain store)$26.72$39.63

33%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$67.38$73.7

Men's leather business shoes$53.87$92.52

42%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$283.17$470.22

40%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$154.32$336.2

54%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$487.81$889.03

45%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$340.4$569.26

40%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$755.37$2,526.67

70%

Price per m², outside centre$499.44$1,540.2

68%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$371.38$948.86

61%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$20.98$6.43

69%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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