A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ankara vs. San Francisco for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Ankara or San Francisco?

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 Francisco. 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 Francisco?

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 Francisco

San Francisco is a beautiful city that is famous for it's picturesque neighborhoods, liberal character, and stunning location on the bay. Some people describe San Francisco as the United State's most "European City." This title most likely comes from its compact development and its easy walkability. It also has no shortage of parks and public spaces where you can pass some time. The city sits on the end of a peninsula and offers stunning views of the blue bay, rolling green hills, and the striking Golden Gate Bridge.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Turkey, The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey, The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, San Francisco or Ankara?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Ankara is $116, while the average daily cost in San Francisco is $222. 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 Francisco in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ankara $57
    San Francisco $130
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ankara $114
    San Francisco $260
Compare Hotels in Ankara and San Francisco

Looking for a hotel in Ankara or San Francisco? 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.

Hotels in Ankara


Hotels in San Francisco


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 Francisco Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ankara $37
    San Francisco $16
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ankara

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ankara:


  • Metro Ride
    $0.04
  • 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

Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Francisco

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Francisco:


  • Taxi to SFO
    $45
  • Golden Gate Bridge Toll
    $6.00
  • Alcatraz Tour
    $30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Francisco

Also for San Francisco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Airport Transfer: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to San Francisco: $107
  • Arrival Private Transfer SFO Airport to San Francisco City by SUV: $245
  • Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Business Car: $108
  • Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Luxury Car: $169
  • Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Luxury SUV: $141
  • Arrival Transfer San Francisco Pier to San Francisco City by SUV: $177
  • Carmel 1-Way Transfer to/from San Francisco Airport: $535
  • Departure Private Transfer San Francisco to SFO Airport by Sedan: $152
  • Departure Private Transfer San Francisco to SFO Airport in a SUV: $203
  • Departure Private Transfer: San Francisco to Airport SFO in Business Car: $108
  • Napa Valley 1-Way Transfer to/from the San Francisco Airport: $400
  • Private Airport SUV VIP Transfer from or to SFO to Marin County: $168

Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or San Francisco?

Prices for flights to both San Francisco 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Ankara $32
    San Francisco $46
Typical Food Prices in Ankara

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ankara:


  • A Quick Lunch
    $0.36

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Francisco

For San Francisco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • San Francisco Virtual Food Tour with Local Guide: $19
  • North Beach and Little Italy Food Tour: $79
  • Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise on the Bay: $82
  • Secret Food Tours San Francisco: $84
  • Mission District Food Tour with Tastings: $85
  • Farmers' Market & Ferry Building Food Tour: $87
  • Mission District Walking Food Tour: $89
  • Chinatown Walking Food Tour: $89
  • San Francisco North Beach Food Tour: $89
  • San Francisco North Beach and Chinatown - Secret Food Tours: $89
  • San Francisco Chinatown Food Tour: $89
  • San Francisco Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $89

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ankara $34
    San Francisco $46
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ankara

Here are a few typical costs in Ankara for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • 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

Tours and Activities in San Francisco

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Francisco.

  • Golden Gate Bridge: Self-guided Tour App - Audio + Written: $5.00
  • San Francisco’s Chinatown on foot: A Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • Leave your heart at the Wharf: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • Self Guided Chinatown Tour: Food, History and Culture: $5.99
  • San Francisco's Barbary Past: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • Embarcadero Self-Guided Audio Smartphone Tour: $5.99
  • San Francisco self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $6.46
  • The Ghosts of San Francisco Haunted Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour of Japantown & Stories: $6.99
  • Ghosts & Hauntings Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
  • Secrets of Golden Gate Park Audio Tour: $7.99
  • Design in the Financial District Audio Tour: $7.99

For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Museums in San Francisco, The Best Outdoor Activities in San Francisco, and Things to Do In San Francisco on a Rainy Day.


Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ankara $15
    San Francisco $22

Sample the Local Flavors in San Francisco

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in San Francisco:

  • Chinatown San Francisco’s Bar Crawl: An Audio Tour: $4.99
  • SF Pub Crawl and Clubbing Experience: $27
  • San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $35
  • Ghosts, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
  • 2 to 3 Hour Bar Crawl in Castro San Francisco: $49
  • Wine Tasting on the Bay: $85
  • Private Wine Tour Napa or Sonoma from $99 per person up to 7 & Concierge Service: $99
  • Small Group: The Ultimate Napa & Sonoma Wine Tour: $109
  • Big Bus Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour: $125
  • Half-Day Wine Country Tour with Wine Tastings: $126
  • From The Ultimate Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour: $139
  • The Ultimate Napa & Sonoma Wine Tour: $139


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ankara and San Francisco, we can see that San Francisco 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 Francisco 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 Francisco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Francisco 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 Francisco Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Ankara or San Francisco?

Ankara has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of San Francisco. When comparing the sizes of Ankara and San Francisco, 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.