Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Ankara vs Cologne

Ankara vs Cologne

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Ankara 69% cheaper Cologne +40 Mbps Moderate / Moderate
Nomad Cost

$1,488

Ankara

$4,767

Cologne

Internet

56

Mbps

96

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Ankara

Moderate

Cologne

Air Quality

5/5

Ankara

5/5

Cologne

Healthcare

Moderate

Ankara

Low

Cologne

Population

4.6m

Ankara

1.0m

Cologne

Ankara (Turkey) and Cologne (Germany) 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 — 69% less than Cologne's $4767/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $39348.

For families, Ankara costs $1134.675259033381/mo compared to Cologne's $4310.399439031236/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Cologne leads on internet connectivity at 96 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 Cologne share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Ankara offers better healthcare infrastructure than Cologne — 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 Cologne peaks in August (26 degrees, 0mm rain, score 451). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

AnkaraCologne
Nomad$1,488/mo$4,767/mo
Expat$709/mo$2,494/mo
Local$324/mo$1,232/mo
Family$1,135/mo$4,310/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

AnkaraCologne
City Speed
56 Mbps#125
96 Mbps
Country Speed0 Mbps96 Mbps

Environment & Health

AnkaraCologne
Air Quality Score5/55/5
PollutionHighModerate
ClimateHighHigh
Humidity3650

Quality of Life

AnkaraCologne
SafetyModerateModerate
HealthcareModerateLow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Ankara
Cologne
Jan
3°
0mm364
4°
0mm375
Feb
9°
0mm387
7°
2mm321
Mar
10°
0mm383
10°
1mm398
Apr
20°
0mm417
12°
2mm336
May
20°
1mm404
20°
2mm331
Jun
32°
0mm437
20°
1mm372
Jul
32°
0mm437
24°
1mm405
Aug
31°
0mm417
26°
0mm451
Sep
27°
0mm427
19°
1mm409
Oct
16°
0mm397
15°
0mm389
Nov
11°
0mm387
8°
0mm388
Dec
5°
0mm364
3°
0mm388

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 Cologne?

  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Peak season in August — 26 degrees, score 451

Overall Verdict

Overall, Ankara edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1488/mo it runs 69% cheaper than Cologne's $4767/mo, with 56 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Ankara Cologne
ItemAnkaraCologneDiff
🍽️Restaurants8 items
Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.76$13.7
73%
Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$16.1$55.32
71%
McMeal or equivalent combo$3.89$9.48
59%
Cappuccino (regular)$1.68$2.85
41%
Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.28$3.69
38%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.68$3.06
12%
Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.74$2.36
69%
Water (0.33L)$0.31$1.89
84%
🛒Markets19 items
Milk (1L)$0.96$1.1
13%
White bread (500g)$0.45$1.94
77%
White rice (1kg)$1.29$2.19
41%
Eggs (12)$1.68$2.73
38%
Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.89$10.29
62%
Beef round (1kg)$8.54$14.05
39%
Local cheese (1kg)$4.95$12.26
60%
Apples (1kg)$0.75$2.77
73%
Bananas (1kg)$1.55$1.67
7%
Oranges (1kg)$0.74$2.3
68%
Tomatoes (1kg)$0.88$1.41
38%
Potatoes (1kg)$0.55$1.91
71%
Onions (1kg)$0.44$1.22
64%
Lettuce (1 head)$0.65$1.61
60%
Water (1.5L bottle)$0.24$0.65
63%
Wine, mid-range bottle$6.82$5.27
23%
Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.53$0.56
63%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.07$2.16
4%
Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.61$8.43
81%
🚌Transport8 items
One-way local transport ticket$0.38$3.16
88%
Monthly transport pass$18.73$101.16
81%
Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.54$3.95
86%
Taxi per 1km$0.32$2.16
85%
Taxi 1hr waiting$2.68$31.61
92%
Gasoline (1L)$1.4$2.2
36%
Volkswagen Golf (new)$34,882.66$24,441.62
30%
Toyota Corolla (new)$31,741.92$28,978.78
9%
⚡Utilities3 items
Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51$279.73
82%
Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$8.71$35.39
75%
Mobile prepaid per minute$0.05$0.13
62%
🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items
Fitness club, monthly$19.94$34.71
43%
Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$10.79$29.07
63%
Cinema, 1 ticket$2.68$12.64
79%
👶Childcare2 items
Preschool, full-day private/mo$199.61$577.1
65%
International primary school/yr$4,328.92$12,223.44
65%
👗Clothing4 items
Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$35.5$86.27
59%
Summer dress (chain store)$26.72$30.56
13%
Nike running shoes (mid-range)$67.38$80.61
16%
Men's leather business shoes$53.87$116.88
54%
🏠Rent4 items
1-bedroom apartment, city centre$283.17$921.15
69%
1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$154.32$700.43
78%
3-bedroom apartment, city centre$487.81$1,712.34
72%
3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$340.4$1,265.2
73%
🏗️Buy2 items
Price per m², city centre$755.37$6,019.52
87%
Price per m², outside centre$499.44$4,662.82
89%
💰Finance2 items
Average monthly net salary$371.38$2,480.27
85%
Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$20.98$2.67
87%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

Related Comparisons

See all comparisons