Which place is cheaper, San Diego or Ankara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ankara or San Diego?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Ankara and San Diego. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Ankara or San Diego?
Ankara
Located at the heart of Turkey near Central Anatolia, Ankara is the capital city and second largest city in the country after Istanbul. Formerly known for its long-haired goats and textiles, the city has since developed into a metropolitan mix of modern cultures with historic landmarks.
San Diego
For many visitors and locals alike, San Diego is a paradise. Located in southern California, not far from Los Angeles, it has the perfect climate, wonderful beaches, and a culturally rich environment. It's surrounded by beautiful landscape and has a strong focus on wildlife conservation and eco-friendly living. Home to about 1.3 million residents, it is California's second largest city. It also has many universities, a large tech industry, and a thriving economy. Despite its size, many people perceive San Diego as a slower, more relaxed city with a pleasant vibe away from the chaos of a large city.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Turkey, The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey, The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America, and The Best Contiki Tours to United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAnkara $116San Diego $202
The average daily cost (per person) in Ankara is $116, while the average daily cost in San Diego is $202. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Ankara and San Diego in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAnkara $57San Diego $115
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAnkara $114San Diego $230
Compare Hotels in Ankara and San Diego
Looking for a hotel in Ankara or San Diego? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Ankara Hotel Prices and San Diego Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ankara $37San Diego $24
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ankara
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ankara:
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Metro Ride$0.04
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Short Taxi Ride$0.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Kizilcahamam Town: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Gordion Ancient City: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Beypazari Town: $185
- Private Transfer from Ankara Esenboga Airport (ESB) to Central Ankara: $109
- Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB): $109
- Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels to Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers: $76
- Private Transfers Between Ankara Esenboga Airport - Ankara City Centre: $75
- Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels: $71
- Ankara Esenboğa Airport From/To City Center Private Transfer: $64
- Ankara Private Departure Transfer from City hotels to Airport: $60
- Private transfer: Ankara Airport (ESB) to Ankara: $39
- Private transfer: Ankara to Ankara Airport (ESB): $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Diego
Also for San Diego, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer San Diego Airport SAN to San Diego City by Business Car: $111
- Arrival Private Transfer San Diego Airport SAN to San Diego by Executive SUV: $134
- Arrival Private Transfer: San Diego Airport SAN to San Diego in Business Car: $103
- Arrival Private Transfer: San Diego Airport SAN to San Diego in Luxury SUV: $115
- Departure Private Transfer San Diego to San Diego Airport SAN in Business Car: $92
- Departure Private Transfer: San Diego to San Diego Airport SAN in Business Car: $103
- Departure Private Transfer: San Diego to San Diego Airport SAN in Luxury SUV: $115
- Private Arrival Transfer - from San Diego Airport (SAN) by SUV: $82
- Private Arrival Transfer from San Diego Airport SAN: $56
- Private Departure Transfer to San Diego Airport SAN: $50
- Private Transfer Airport Tijuana/Valle de Guadalupe (Ensenada) or back.: $178
- Private Transfer from San Diego Airport (SAN) to San Diego Port : $74
Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or San Diego?
Prices for flights to both San Diego and Ankara change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayAnkara $32San Diego $45
Typical Food Prices in Ankara
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ankara:
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A Quick Lunch$0.36
Typical Food Prices in San Diego
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to San Diego:
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Mexican Lunch for Two$27
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Breakfast at Starbucks$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Diego
For San Diego, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pizza and Gelato Tour in San Diego: $80
- San Diego Vegan Food Tour: $85
- Old Town Tequila and Tacos Walking Food Tour: $85
- Gaslamp Quarter Food Tour: $89
- Gaslamp Quarter Downtown San Diego Food Tour: $89
- San Diego Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $95
- San Diego, Seaport Village: Waterfront Walking Food Tour: $99
- Seaport Village Food Tour in San Diego : $99
- Guided Secret Food Tour: $103
- Scenic Buffet Dinner Cruise: $108
- San Diego Dinner Cruise: $116
- Gourmet Dinner Cruise: $118
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ankara $34San Diego $48
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ankara
Here are a few typical costs in Ankara for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Underground City$0.25
Tours and Activities in Ankara
Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Ankara : Highlights Walking Tour: $48
- Ankara : Private Walking Tour With A Guide ( Private Tour ) : $33
- Ankara Private Walking Tour: $269
- Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $218
- Family-Friendly Smartphone Walking Tour: $6.00
- Inns and Baths City Sightseeing Mobile Audio Guide: $6.00
- Private Tour with a Local: $38
- Private Walking tour With A Guide (Private Tour): $32
- Quick Tour, Essentials of Ankara: $6.00
- Half Day Private Tour in Ankara: $215
- Istanbul: Golden Horn & Bosphorus Day Cruise: $165
- Istanbul: Half-Day Tour with Topkapi Palace: $145
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Diego
For San Diego, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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San Diego Zoo$15
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Sea World Parking$12
Tours and Activities in San Diego
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Diego.
- Pies & Pickaxes: A Historic Walking Tour of Julian, CA: $4.49
- Waterfront Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $7.31
- A Seaside Stroll: La Jolla's Hidden Treasures Self-Guided Tour: $9.99
- Historical Walking Tour of San Diego: $10
- Beaches & Bluffs San Diego's Ultimate Coastal Driving Tour: $12
- San Diego Natural History Museum Ticket: $12
- Haunted Historic Whaley House - Self-Guided Tour: $14
- Apple Pies & Desert Skies: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $15
- Private Walking Tour and Gaslamp Adventure in San Diego: $20
- Explore Balboa in a Private Tour of San Diego Hidden Gems: $20
- San Diego's Historic Treasures and Old Town Tour: $20
- San Diego Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $21
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAnkara $15San Diego $21
Sample the Local Flavors in San Diego
Also in San Diego, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- San Diego Bar Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- History Tour Pub Crawl of Famous Gaslamp Quarter: $30
- Brewery Tour with Tastings and Food Pairings: $85
- Vino! Vino! Little Italy Wine Tasting Walking Tour: $125
- Little Italy Wine Tasting Walking Tour: $125
- Private Wine Tasting Tour in Valle de Guadalupe: $133
- Cruise & Booze Brewery tours : $149
- Baja Tour Guide wine tour: $169
- Sidecar Wine Tasting Tour: $199
- Brewery and Tap Room Sidecar Tour: $199
- California Sunset Brewery Tour: $199
- Brewery and Beer Tasting Tour in San Diego: $215
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ankara and San Diego, we can see that San Diego is more expensive. And not only is Ankara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ankara is in Europe and San Diego is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Ankara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ankara and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in San Diego would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Diego than you might in Ankara.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ankara Expensive? and Is San Diego Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ankara or San Diego?
Ankara has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of San Diego. When comparing the sizes of Ankara and San Diego, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.