Ankara vs Leiden

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Ankara 73% cheaper Leiden +146 Mbps Moderate / High
Nomad Cost

$1,488

Ankara

$5,485

Leiden

Internet

56

Mbps

202

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Ankara

High

Leiden

Air Quality

5/5

Ankara

5/5

Leiden

Healthcare

Moderate

Ankara

Low

Leiden

Population

4.6m

Ankara

121.6k

Leiden

Ankara (Turkey) and Leiden (Netherlands) 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 — 73% less than Leiden's $5485/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $47964.

For families, Ankara costs $1134.675259033381/mo compared to Leiden's $5888.793076142553/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Leiden leads on internet connectivity at 202 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Ankara's 56 Mbps (#125). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

Ankara offers better healthcare infrastructure than Leiden — 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 Leiden peaks in August (22 degrees, 0mm rain, score 414). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

AnkaraLeiden
Nomad$1,488/mo$5,485/mo
Expat$709/mo$3,470/mo
Local$324/mo$1,683/mo
Family$1,135/mo$5,889/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

AnkaraLeiden
City Speed
56 Mbps#125
202 Mbps
Country Speed0 Mbps202 Mbps

Environment & Health

AnkaraLeiden
Air Quality Score5/55/5
PollutionHighLow
ClimateHighHigh
Humidity3662

Quality of Life

AnkaraLeiden
SafetyModerateHigh
HealthcareModerateLow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Ankara
Leiden
Jan
3°
0mm364
3°
0mm372
Feb
9°
0mm387
6°
2mm284
Mar
10°
0mm383
8°
1mm325
Apr
20°
0mm417
9°
2mm314
May
20°
1mm404
17°
3mm304
Jun
32°
0mm437
16°
1mm386
Jul
32°
0mm437
20°
2mm344
Aug
31°
0mm417
22°
0mm414
Sep
27°
0mm427
18°
2mm370
Oct
16°
0mm397
13°
1mm368
Nov
11°
0mm387
8°
0mm386
Dec
5°
0mm364
5°
1mm315

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 Leiden?

  • Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 202 Mbps
  • High safety rating for peace of mind
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Smaller city feel with 121.6k residents
  • Peak season in August — 22 degrees, score 414

Overall Verdict

Overall, Leiden edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $5485/mo it runs 73% cheaper than Ankara's $1488/mo, with 202 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Ankara Leiden
ItemAnkaraLeidenDiff
🍽️Restaurants8 items
Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.76$15.81
76%
Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$16.1$63.22
75%
McMeal or equivalent combo$3.89$10.54
63%
Cappuccino (regular)$1.68$3.16
47%
Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.28$5.27
57%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.68$4.21
36%
Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.74$2.46
70%
Water (0.33L)$0.31$2.23
86%
🛒Markets19 items
Milk (1L)$0.96$1.07
10%
White bread (500g)$0.45$2.01
78%
White rice (1kg)$1.29$1.6
19%
Eggs (12)$1.68$2.18
23%
Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.89$8.54
54%
Beef round (1kg)$8.54$27.49
69%
Local cheese (1kg)$4.95$11.76
58%
Apples (1kg)$0.75$2.81
73%
Bananas (1kg)$1.55$1.36
12%
Oranges (1kg)$0.74$1.46
49%
Tomatoes (1kg)$0.88$2.69
67%
Potatoes (1kg)$0.55$1.12
51%
Onions (1kg)$0.44$0.94
53%
Lettuce (1 head)$0.65$0.85
24%
Water (1.5L bottle)$0.24$0.66
64%
Wine, mid-range bottle$6.82$6.31
7%
Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.53$1.26
18%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.07$1.87
10%
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$52.69
64%
Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.54$5.27
90%
Taxi per 1km$0.32$2.11
85%
Taxi 1hr waiting$2.68$31.61
92%
Gasoline (1L)$1.4$2.25
38%
Volkswagen Golf (new)$34,882.66$27,655.54
21%
Toyota Corolla (new)$31,741.92$28,136.25
11%
⚡Utilities3 items
Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51$197.61
74%
Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$8.71$54.79
84%
Mobile prepaid per minute$0.05$0.13
62%
🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items
Fitness club, monthly$19.94$42.15
53%
Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$10.79$26.34
59%
Cinema, 1 ticket$2.68$12.12
78%
👶Childcare2 items
Preschool, full-day private/mo$199.61$1,896.74
89%
International primary school/yr$4,328.92$13,171.82
67%
👗Clothing4 items
Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$35.5$88.78
60%
Summer dress (chain store)$26.72$33.19
19%
Nike running shoes (mid-range)$67.38$103.27
35%
Men's leather business shoes$53.87$158.06
66%
🏠Rent4 items
1-bedroom apartment, city centre$283.17$1,304.08
78%
1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$154.32$1,119.6
86%
3-bedroom apartment, city centre$487.81$2,239.21
78%
3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$340.4$2,120.66
84%
🏗️Buy2 items
Price per m², city centre$755.37$5,521.62
86%
Price per m², outside centre$499.44$3,951.54
87%
💰Finance2 items
Average monthly net salary$371.38$3,249.05
89%
Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$20.98$2.11
90%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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