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

Should you visit Ankara or Split?

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 Split. 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 Split?

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.

Split

Spit is a historic city in Central Dalmatia with many opportunities to glimpse its fascinating past in its historic city center. Centuries ago the city grew up around a Diocletian palace that was used as refuge by the locals.

Today, as you wander around the historic center, you can see the remains of the Roman walls, temples, and squares. Despite it's appeal to tourists, Split is much more than just a tourist destination. It is larger than you might initially realize and it spreads well beyond the historic center. There is a population of about 300,000 in the larger area and it is an economic center for the region.

Split has a beautiful climate with mild winters, countless sunny days, and a generally pleasant temperature. As such, there are many opportunities to enjoy yourself outdoors, whether by participating in sports or walking around the city's quaint streets. Winters in Split are also quite mild, but there may be one snowy day, on average, every year. This rare snowfall can cause a significant disruption in the flow of traffic.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Turkey, The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey, The Best Walking Tours in Croatia, and The Best Luxury Tours to Croatia.


Which place is cheaper, Split or Ankara?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Ankara is $110, while the average daily cost in Split is $148. 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 Split in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ankara $45
    Split $86
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ankara $90
    Split $172
Compare Hotels in Ankara and Split

Looking for a hotel in Ankara or Split? 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 Split


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 Split Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ankara $29
    Split $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ankara

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


  • Metro Ride
    $0.03
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:

  • Turkey Ankara Airport Private VIP Transfer Service ESB: $68
  • Private Transfers Between Ankara Esenboga Airport - Ankara City Centre: $75
  • 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: $54
  • Private Transfer Ankara Esenboga Airport ESB to Keçiören Ankara: $40
  • Private Airport Transfer From/To Ankara Airport to Cankaya Hotels: $42
  • Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB): $54
  • Ankara Esenboğa Airport From/To City Center Private Transfer: $50
  • Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels: $114
  • Ankara Esenboga Airport to City Hotels Transfer: $46

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Split

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

  • Split Airport (SPU) to Cruise Port of Split - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $84
  • **Private Door to Door Airport Split Transfer up to 15 People** : $60
  • Airport Private Transfer from Split: $40
  • Airport Private Transfer to Split : $40
  • Airport Transfer from Split: $46
  • Airport Transfer to Split: $46
  • Airport transfers - round trip: $160
  • Airport(Resnik) to or from Split transfer: $71
  • CO2-Offset Arrival Transfer Split Airport to Split City : $60
  • CO2-Offset Departure Transfer Split City to Split Airport SPU : $60
  • Ferry Transfers Between Split and Hvar: $40
  • From Split Airport to Sibenik, Private Transfer, max 8: $118

Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or Split?

Prices for flights to both Split 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 $44
    Split $48
Typical Food Prices in Ankara

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


  • A Quick Lunch
    $0.28

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ankara

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ankara.

  • Turkish Cuisine Cooking Class at Local Home with Family: $49
  • Baklava Cooking Class: $61

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Split

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

  • Small Group Food Tour with Private Option: $53
  • Split Food Tour: Discover Split One Bite at a Time: $140
  • Split Food Tour: Discover Split One Bite At A Time: $143
  • A Vineyard Feast: A Group Dinner and Wine Tasting: $199
  • Split Cooking Class: $209
  • Cooking class on island Brac: $251

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ankara $27
    Split $4.36
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
    $0.19

Tours and Activities in Ankara

Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Ankara : Private Walking Tour With A Guide ( Private Tour ) : $36
  • Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $239
  • 6-Hour Private Tour with Guide, Car, and Lunch: $175
  • Private Guided Walking Tour: $35
  • Private Walking Tour with a Local: $41
  • Best of Private Walking Tour with a Local: $66
  • Full Day Cappadocia Private Tour: $300
  • Half Day Private Tour in Ankara: $249
  • Private Ankara City Tours by an Archaeologist Tour Guide : $280
  • Private Ankara Sightseeing Tour: $235

Tours and Activities in Split

For Split, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Diocletian's Palace & Old Town Guided Walking Tour: $9.36
  • Split Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $9.55
  • Quest Experience in Marjan Hill Witch Hunt: $12
  • Split's Old Town and Marjan Hill: A Self Guided Audio Tour: $12
  • Trogir Open Top Bus Trip + Free Split Walking Tour: $13
  • Klis Fortress GOT and Olive Museum Entry Tickets: $14
  • Museum of Illusions Entrance Ticket: $14
  • Sightseeing Split's Roman Ruins: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
  • Adriatic Blues and Roman Clues Split Audio Tour: $15
  • Diocletian's Palace Virtual Reality Experience: $15
  • Split's Past and Future GPS App Walking Tour Mobile Game: $16
  • Virtual Reality Experience in Split: $16

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ankara $12
    Split $9.35

Sample the Local Flavors in Split

Also in Split, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • From Krka Waterfalls, Food & Wine Tasting Tour: $44
  • From Krka Waterfalls, Food & Wine Tasting Tour: $45
  • Split/Trogir: Krka National Park Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $49
  • From Krka Waterfalls day tour & wine tasting: $49
  • Dalmatian wine tasting by Bottiglia wine & deli: $54
  • Wine Tasting at Seafront Tasting Room in Kastela: $54
  • Split&Sip: Educational wine tasting: $56
  • Wine Tasting in the Diocletian's Palace: $59
  • Blue Lagoon & Wine tasting - 3 islands tour: $108
  • Private History and Wine Tour in Trogir and Klis: $173
  • From Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting: $176
  • Zinfandel Wine Tasting & Storytelling with Dalmatian Food: $178


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


Which is Bigger, Ankara or Split?

Ankara has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Split. When comparing the sizes of Ankara and Split, 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.