Which place is cheaper, Ankara or Santorini?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santorini or Ankara?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Ankara, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Santorini or Ankara?
Santorini
Santorini is a volcanic island that is part of the Cyclades group of the Greek Islands. It has some spectacular views, beautiful sunsets, and excellent beaches. As one of the most popular of the Greek Islands to visit, Santorini sees many tourists every year. However, it's for a good reason, as the famous white-washed buildings that spill down the hill, some with blue domes that match the gorgeous color of the water, are set against the beautiful mountainous backdrop of one of the most scenic areas of the Mediterranean. Home to several of these small and scenic towns such as Oia, Kamari, Perissa, and Fira, visitors can explore the large island, enjoy delicious food, swim at the beaches, hike the hills, and sail the blue waters.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to Greece, The Best G Adventures Tours to Greece, The Best Budget Tours to Turkey, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantorini €210Ankara €106
The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is €210, while the average daily cost in Ankara is €106. 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 Santorini and Ankara in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantorini €118Ankara €52
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantorini €236Ankara €104
Compare Hotels in Santorini and Ankara
Looking for a hotel in Santorini or Ankara? 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: Santorini Hotel Prices and Ankara Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santorini €35Ankara €34
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini
Also for Santorini, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Round-trip Transfer from Santorini Thira Airport (JTR) to Kamari,Greece: $50
- Skip Cable Car! Santorini Shore Excursion with Boat Transfers: $154
- 24h Luxury Santorini Transfer.Arrival/Departure one way: $78
- Airport, Port and Hotel Private Transfer in Santorini: $30
- Arrival Private Transfer Santorini Airport JTR or Port to Santorini by Minibus: $46
- Arrival Private Transfer Santorini Airport JTR or Port to Santorini by Sprinter: $32
- Departure Private Transfer Santorini to Santorini Airport JTR or Port by Van: $32
- Departure Shared Transfer in Santorini Island: $22
- Departure Transfer To Santorini Port: $33
- Luxury Private Transfer with Mercedes S Class in Santorini: $83
- Luxury Santorini Sailing Cruise: Lunch, BBQ, Open Bar, Transfers: $133
- Private Airport/Port Transfers Santorini: $28
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€0.14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:
- Ankara - Cappadocia Private Transfer (Mercedes Vito): $370
- 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
- Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB): $111
- Private Transfer from Ankara Esenboga Airport (ESB) to Central Ankara: $111
- Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels to Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers: $78
- Private Transfers Between Ankara Esenboga Airport - Ankara City Centre: $75
- Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels: $72
- Ankara Esenboğa Airport From/To City Center Private Transfer: $63
- Ankara Private Departure Transfer from City hotels to Airport: $60
- Private transfer: Ankara Airport (ESB) to Ankara: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Santorini or Ankara?
Prices for flights to both Ankara and Santorini 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 daySantorini €55Ankara €30
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santorini
For Santorini, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Traditional Greek Night live Music & Dinner Show in Santorini: $55
- Santorini Caldera Sunset Sailing Cruise with Dinner and Wine: $89
- Santorini Greek Cooking Class: $89
- Greek Cuisine Cooking Class in Santorini: $105
- Santorini Volcano Sunset Cruise Including Dinner on Board: $115
- Santorini Sunset Sailing Cruise: Dinner, BBQ, Open Bar, Transfers: $133
- Santorini Food Tour: Fira Half-Day Small-Group Tour with Tastings: $139
- Santorini Cooking Lesson with Chef and a Bottle of Wine : $164
- Santorini Family Farm Food & Wine Tour with Cooking Class: $166
- Traditional Cooking Lessons with Full Meal & Wine: $166
- Vegan Cooking Lessons with Full Meal & Wine: $166
- Half-Day Inland Fishing Tourism Sunset Tour with Dinner: $166
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€0.32
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santorini €35Ankara €31
Tours and Activities in Santorini
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.
- Skip the Line Lost Atlantis Experience Ticket: $16
- The Beer Tasting and Pairing Experience: $28
- Santorini Volcano and Hot Springs Cruise Tour from Fira Old Port: $28
- Santorini Caldera Cruise Tour (Volcano, Hot Springs, Thirassia): $33
- Tour of Caldera with Glass bottom Boat: $36
- Santorini Volcano and Hot Springs Tour: $39
- Santorini Volcano Half Day Tour: $44
- Sunset Cruise in Caldera of Santorini: $44
- Sunset In Oia & Traditional Villages Bus Tour: $46
- Guided Walking Tour in Santorini: $47
- Santorini Traditional Villages and Oia Sunset Tour: $49
- Santorini Lost Atlantis 9D Experience: $54
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€0.23
Tours and Activities in Ankara
Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Ankara : Highlights Walking Tour: $49
- Ankara : Private Walking Tour With A Guide ( Private Tour ) : $33
- Ankara Private Walking Tour: $272
- Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $223
- Private Tour with a Local: $38
- Private Walking tour With A Guide (Private Tour): $33
- Half Day Private Tour in Ankara: $215
- Istanbul: Golden Horn & Bosphorus Day Cruise: $165
- Istanbul: Half-Day Tour with Topkapi Palace: $145
- Konya and Cappdocia Tour (3 Days-2 Nights): $447
- Private Ankara City Tours by an Archaeologist Tour Guide : $280
- Private Tour: Ankara Sightseeing: $235
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantorini €25Ankara €14
Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini
Also in Santorini, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Half Day Simply Santorini Tour with Wine Tasting: $68
- Visit to a Wine Museum and Wine Tasting in Santorini : $78
- Santorini Highlights Small-Group Tour with Wine Tasting from Fira: $93
- Notos Day Tour through History & Wine Tasting: $100
- 5 towns in 5 hours: Santorini Most Popular Tour with Wine tasting: $119
- Santorini Wine Adventure with 12 Wine Tastings, Tapas and Sunset: $133
- Intimate Santorini - Small Group Shore Excursion and Wine Tasting: $144
- Santorini Wine Tour with 10 Wine Tastings and Oia Sunset: $150
- Wine Tour in Santorini with private guide, wine museum and tasting: $159
- Santorini Private Highlights Tour & Wine Tasting with local guide: $166
- Private Wine Tour in Santorini : $166
- Half-Day Virtual Reality Tour and Wine Tasting: $166
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santorini and Ankara, we can see that Santorini is more expensive. And not only is Ankara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Santorini would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santorini 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 Santorini Expensive? and Is Ankara Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santorini or Ankara?
Ankara has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Santorini. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Ankara, 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.