Ankara vs. Dumaguete City: Detailed 2026 Cost of Living & Quality Comparison

Ankara presents a significantly more expensive lifestyle compared to Dumaguete City, Philippines, yet offers a substantially higher quality of life overall. While Dumaguete boasts a much lower cost of living index (31.23 vs. 93.18), Ankara scores considerably higher across most quality metrics, including purchasing power, safety, healthcare, climate, and environmental conditions. Dumaguete's quality metrics, though lower than Ankara's, still exceed the national average for the Philippines, suggesting a decent standard of living despite the lower costs.

Ankara demonstrates a clear advantage in quality of life metrics. Its higher purchasing power index (100 vs. 31.2), safety index (85.06 vs. 65.06), healthcare index (95.00 vs. 70.33), and climate index (75.00 vs. 62.09) indicate a more comfortable and secure living environment. Ankara's lower pollution index (35.00 vs. 83.03) further enhances its appeal for health-conscious residents. Dumaguete's quality metrics, while respectable for a Philippine city, fall significantly short of Ankara's benchmarks in key areas like safety, healthcare, and environmental quality.

Dumaguete City is dramatically more affordable than Ankara. The cost of living index is 62% lower in Dumaguete (31.23) compared to Ankara (93.18). This affordability extends across most categories, including groceries, transportation, utilities, and entertainment. Dumaguete's average monthly net salary is also significantly lower ($299 vs. $2,900), reflecting the city's overall lower cost structure. However, Ankara's higher cost of living is offset by its superior quality metrics.

Ankara's real estate market is substantially more expensive, with property prices being nearly 10 times higher ($1,000/m² vs. $100/m²). The property price to income ratio in Ankara is also significantly lower (17.00 vs. 32.68), suggesting that while properties are more expensive, they are also more affordable relative to income compared to Dumaguete. Ankara's infrastructure, including transportation and utilities, generally appears more developed, though Dumaguete's public transport costs are notably lower.

Ankara operates within a much larger and wealthier economy compared to Dumaguete. Ankara benefits from Turkey's higher GDP per capita ($56,000 vs. $10,000) and lower unemployment rate (3.0% vs. 5.0%). Dumaguete shows slightly faster population growth (1.56% vs. 0.05%), but Ankara's economy is significantly more developed and offers greater economic opportunities.