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The Desk Port

Istanbul vs Ankara for Remote Work

Istanbul and Ankara are the two largest cities in Turkey with complete remote-work profiles. Istanbul has about 16M residents; Ankara has about 3.5M. Ankara is the national capital.

The best remote-work month in Istanbul is typically June (22°C avg), compared with September (20°C avg) in Ankara. Istanbul sees about 6 rainy days that month, while Ankara sees about 3 rainy days. Across the year, temperatures range 4–28°C in Istanbul and -3–31°C in Ankara.

Istanbul sits at 39 m, versus 850 m in Ankara.

Side-by-side

Istanbul

Turkey

Population
16M
Elevation
39 m
Best month
June
Best-month temperature
22°C
Best-month range
18–25°C
Best-month rain
About 6 rainy days
Year temperature range
4–28°C
National capital
No

Ankara

Turkey

Population
3.5M
Elevation
850 m
Best month
September
Best-month temperature
20°C
Best-month range
14–27°C
Best-month rain
About 3 rainy days
Year temperature range
-3–31°C
National capital
Yes

FAQ

Which is larger, Istanbul or Ankara?
Istanbul is the larger of the two complete profiles in Turkey, with about 16M residents compared with about 3.5M in Ankara.
How does the climate compare in Istanbul vs Ankara?
The best remote-work month is typically June in Istanbul (22°C avg) and September in Ankara (20°C avg). Rainfall that month is about 6 rainy days in Istanbul versus about 3 rainy days in Ankara.