Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second-largest city, home to around 5.8 million people in the metropolitan area. Founded as the Republic's capital in 1923 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Ankara replaced Istanbul as the seat of government and grew rapidly throughout the 20th century. The city blends its ancient Hittite and Roman heritage with modernist Republican architecture and a vibrant contemporary urban scene. Anıtkabir — Atatürk's mausoleum — is the defining landmark, while the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations ranks among the world's finest archaeological collections. Ankara sits on the central Anatolian plateau at roughly 850 metres above sea level, giving it a continental climate with hot dry summers and cold snowy winters.
Local currency: Turkish Lira.
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Ankara.
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Transport
- Airport Bus Havas
- Label Airport bus (Havaş) to city, Price try 120, Price usd 3.60
- Airport Taxi
- Label Airport taxi to city centre, Price try 350–450, Price usd 10.60–13.60
- Metro Single
- Label Metro single ride, Price try 16, Price usd 0.50
- Taxi Base
- Label Taxi base fare, Price try 30 + 6/km, Price usd 0.90 + 0.18/km
- Car Rental Day
- Label Car rental per day, Price try 800–1500, Price usd 24–45
Food
- Simit Street
- Label Simit (sesame bread ring), Price try 10–15, Price usd 0.30–0.45
- Tea Cay
- Label Turkish tea (çay), Price try 10–30, Price usd 0.30–0.90
- Turkish Coffee
- Label Turkish coffee, Price try 40–80, Price usd 1.20–2.40
- Doner Wrap
- Label Döner dürüm wrap, Price try 80–150, Price usd 2.40–4.50
- Lokanta Lunch
- Label Lokanta lunch set, Price try 120–250, Price usd 3.60–7.60
- Midrange Dinner
- Label Mid-range restaurant dinner, Price try 300–700, Price usd 9–21
- Beer
- Label Beer at bar, Price try 100–200, Price usd 3–6
- Bottled Water
- Label Bottled water 500ml, Price try 10–20, Price usd 0.30–0.60
Attractions
- Anitkabir
- Label Anıtkabir (Atatürk Mausoleum), Price try Free, Price usd Free
- Museum Anatolian
- Label Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Price try 200, Price usd 6
- Citadel
- Label Ankara Citadel outer walls, Price try Free, Price usd Free
- Ethnography Museum
- Label Ethnography Museum, Price try 100, Price usd 3
- Rahmi Koc Museum
- Label Rahmi Koç Museum, Price try 150, Price usd 4.50
- Muze Kart
- Label Müze Kart (annual, all state museums), Price try 600, Price usd 18
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Ankara costs end-to-end.
Items traveller
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Buy an Ankara Kart (transit card) from any metro station vending machine — single rides cost 16 TRY (~$0.50) vs higher cash fares on some routes; a day's travel is typically 50–80 TRY (~$1.50–2.40)
The Müze Kart (Museum Card) costs 600 TRY (~$18 USD) annually and gives unlimited access to all state museums including Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ethnography Museum, and State Art and Sculpture Museum — it pays for itself after 3–4 visits
Eat at lokanta (canteen-style) restaurants at lunch — set menus (öğle yemeği menüsü) typically cost 120–250 TRY (~$3.60–7.60) for soup, main, bread, and tea; dinner menus at the same restaurants cost 30–40% more
Havaş airport bus from Esenboğa to Kızılay costs 120 TRY (~$3.60) vs a taxi fare of 350–450 TRY (~$10.60–13.60)
Anıtkabir is free; anchor sightseeing around it and visit the nearby Ethnography Museum and State Art Museum on the same day to minimise transport costs
Supermarkets (BİM, A101, Migros) near Kızılay stock cheap ready meals, simit, ayran, and fruit — stock up for picnics at Eymir or Mogan lakes
Accommodation is significantly cheaper in Ankara than Istanbul or Antalya — mid-range hotels in Ulus start at 1,200 TRY (~$36) per night vs 2,000–3,000 TRY in coastal resorts
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
Anıtkabir (Atatürk Mausoleum) — Ankara's most visited site is completely free; allow 1.5–2 hours
Ankara Citadel (Kale) outer walls and the old Citadel bazaar — free to walk; inner tower charges 30 TRY (~$0.90)
Hamamönü — restored 19th-century Ottoman neighbourhood with free walking, artisan workshops, and cafés
Column of Julian and Hacı Bayram Mosque precinct — free historic monuments in the Ulus old city
Gençlik Parkı — central city park with lake, free to enter (rides and boat rentals are extra)
Eymir Lake — free access to a large natural lake 15 km south; popular with walkers, cyclists, and picnickers
Mogan Lake — free green space south of the city for waterside walking and picnicking
Atatürk Forest Farm (AOÇ) — free public park and farm grounds northwest of the city centre
Botanical Garden (Cebeci Anatolian High School) — free urban green space with labelled plant collections
Kızılay Square — free people-watching at Ankara's central hub; vibrant street life at no cost