Ankara vs Lisbon

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Ankara 57% cheaper Lisbon +123 Mbps Moderate / Moderate
Nomad Cost

$1,488

Ankara

$3,462

Lisbon

Internet

56

Mbps

179

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Ankara

Moderate

Lisbon

Air Quality

5/5

Ankara

5/5

Lisbon

Healthcare

Moderate

Ankara

Low

Lisbon

Population

4.6m

Ankara

545.2k

Lisbon

Ankara (Turkey) and Lisbon (Portugal) 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 — 57% less than Lisbon's $3462/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $23688.

For families, Ankara costs $1134.675259033381/mo compared to Lisbon's $5786.219129515412/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Lisbon leads on internet connectivity at 179 Mbps (ranked #42 globally) versus Ankara's 56 Mbps (#125). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

Ankara offers better healthcare infrastructure than Lisbon — 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 Lisbon peaks in July (31 degrees, 0mm rain, score 483). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

AnkaraLisbon
Nomad$1,488/mo$3,462/mo
Expat$709/mo$2,483/mo
Local$324/mo$1,653/mo
Family$1,135/mo$5,786/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

AnkaraLisbon
City Speed
56 Mbps#125
179 Mbps#42
Country Speed0 Mbps207 Mbps

Environment & Health

AnkaraLisbon
Air Quality Score5/55/5
PollutionHighModerate
ClimateHighHigh
Humidity3687

Quality of Life

AnkaraLisbon
SafetyModerateModerate
HealthcareModerateLow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Ankara
Lisbon
Jan
3°
0mm364
16°
0mm443
Feb
9°
0mm387
16°
0mm443
Mar
10°
0mm383
15°
1mm391
Apr
20°
0mm417
21°
0mm463
May
20°
1mm404
21°
0mm453
Jun
32°
0mm437
25°
0mm463
Jul
32°
0mm437
31°
0mm483
Aug
31°
0mm417
31°
0mm483
Sep
27°
0mm427
25°
0mm483
Oct
16°
0mm397
21°
0mm434
Nov
11°
0mm387
20°
0mm459
Dec
5°
0mm364
13°
0mm433

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 Lisbon?

  • Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 179 Mbps
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Peak season in July — 31 degrees, score 483

Overall Verdict

Overall, Ankara edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1488/mo it runs 57% cheaper than Lisbon's $3462/mo, with 56 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Ankara Lisbon
ItemAnkaraLisbonDiff
🍽️Restaurants8 items
Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.76$12.64
70%
Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$16.1$52.69
69%
McMeal or equivalent combo$3.89$7.38
47%
Cappuccino (regular)$1.68$1.97
15%
Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.28$2.63
13%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.68$3.16
15%
Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.74$1.73
57%
Water (0.33L)$0.31$1.2
74%
🛒Markets19 items
Milk (1L)$0.96$0.88
8%
White bread (500g)$0.45$1.33
66%
White rice (1kg)$1.29$1.28
1%
Eggs (12)$1.68$2.67
37%
Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.89$6.94
44%
Beef round (1kg)$8.54$10.89
22%
Local cheese (1kg)$4.95$8.98
45%
Apples (1kg)$0.75$1.95
62%
Bananas (1kg)$1.55$1.3
16%
Oranges (1kg)$0.74$1.51
51%
Tomatoes (1kg)$0.88$2.03
57%
Potatoes (1kg)$0.55$1.22
55%
Onions (1kg)$0.44$1.24
65%
Lettuce (1 head)$0.65$1.25
48%
Water (1.5L bottle)$0.24$0.81
70%
Wine, mid-range bottle$6.82$4.21
38%
Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.53$1.28
16%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.07$2.07
=
Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.61$5.58
71%
🚌Transport8 items
One-way local transport ticket$0.38$1.95
81%
Monthly transport pass$18.73$42.15
56%
Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.54$3.69
85%
Taxi per 1km$0.32$0.53
40%
Taxi 1hr waiting$2.68$15.7
83%
Gasoline (1L)$1.4$2.12
34%
Volkswagen Golf (new)$34,882.66$29,504.87
15%
Toyota Corolla (new)$31,741.92$31,189.24
2%
⚡Utilities3 items
Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$51$130.77
61%
Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$8.71$35.58
76%
Mobile prepaid per minute$0.05$0.19
74%
🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items
Fitness club, monthly$19.94$39.89
50%
Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$10.79$11.94
10%
Cinema, 1 ticket$2.68$7.9
66%
👶Childcare2 items
Preschool, full-day private/mo$199.61$436.52
54%
International primary school/yr$4,328.92$10,185.33
57%
👗Clothing4 items
Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$35.5$80.35
56%
Summer dress (chain store)$26.72$32.14
17%
Nike running shoes (mid-range)$67.38$72.44
7%
Men's leather business shoes$53.87$96.4
44%
🏠Rent4 items
1-bedroom apartment, city centre$283.17$1,242.34
77%
1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$154.32$813.4
81%
3-bedroom apartment, city centre$487.81$2,149.25
77%
3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$340.4$1,329.07
74%
🏗️Buy2 items
Price per m², city centre$755.37$5,757.09
87%
Price per m², outside centre$499.44$3,206.32
84%
💰Finance2 items
Average monthly net salary$371.38$1,125.31
67%
Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$20.98$2.42
88%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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