How much does it actually cost to live here?

Where these numbers come from

The cost ranges are honest mid-2026 estimates from the founder's lived experience in Ankara since 2020, cross-checked with the foundation-uni international student community. The low end is realistic frugal living; the high end is mid-range comfort without lifestyle creep.

What this calculator deliberately does not include: luxury categories (private gym, restaurants more than twice a week, inter-city travel), one-off costs (annual ikamet renewal fee, passport renewal, ticket home), and currency hedge planning. If you want to model any of these, add them as a notional line in your “misc” bracket.