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Travel Costs & Prices in Turkey
If you are going to visit Turkey, we have good news for you: the current value of the Turkish lira against the US dollar and the euro will benefit you on your trip to Turkey. In 2019 the 1$ fluctuates between 5.2 to 5.7 Turkish liras. But in general, travel costs in Turkey usually go up from April to October. So if you would like to save some money you can visit the country in the winter time. You may also need سائق في اسطنبول وطرابزون to get the best of turkey. Of course, the amount of money you are going to spend depends only on your travel style.
Type 1: Student or backpacker. Rock Bottom
If you are very tight on your finance, you still can have some options to travel in Turkey.
Accommodation: The best option for you to stay in hostels, pensions or book a room on Airbnb. In this case, the price starts from 50 TL to 180 TL per night depending on the city and its neighborhood you select for staying. In some places, you can also have breakfast included in this price.
Food: Local street food is very cheap. You can pay around 1-3$ for a cig kofte, pilav, donner or any dish in a local bistro with traditional Turkish cuisine.
Shopping: Well, in your case it would be better to abstain from shopping, but if you promise to your grandma to bring something from Turkey, at least try to buy things far from the touristic areas. Go to the ordinary supermarket and buy a small package of Turkish coffee (like Kurukahveci̇ Mehmet Efendi̇, around 1$) or a box with lucum.
Attractions: you can find a lot of free attractions in Istanbul and other cities. The mosques are free. The rooftops with breathtaking views on the city and Bosphorus are also free. Even ancient bazaars are free if you come there only to have a look. You can pay around 5 TL, take a ferry (a boat that crosses the Bosphorus) and enjoy the amazing sea view.
Transport: the public transport in Istanbul costs from 1,65 to 3 TL.
Type 2: Travellers on a budget
If you are not so poor as the previous type of tourist, but you are still not ready to pay more for a comfort, here’re the options you could have.
Accommodation: You need at least from 180 TL to 250 TL for staying in one- or two-star hotels with breakfast included. If you are planning to travel around the country, you can afford intercity buses and trains.
Food: You can have lunch and dinner in not very expensive restaurant. Try to avoid touristic zones and fancy neighborhoods like Nisantasi or Bebek if you don’t want to spend a lot of many on food.
Shopping: Budget traveller can easily afford to buy some small souvenirs like fridge magnets, cup mats and some basic clothes from the local market (when it comes to the textile, it’s very cheap in Turkey).
Attractions: All the free activities we’ve mentioned above + you can check some museums and galleries, the price range for them are from 10 TL to 60 TL.
Type 3: Moderate
Accommodation: So, if you can commit yourself to a moderate traveler, you definitely can afford to stay in three-star hotels, it’ll cost around 250 - 350 TL. For traveling around Turkey you can use intercity buses, trains, and also check some air flights. If you’re a company of four people, perhaps, you could also afford to rent a car. But this option suits only desperate travelers, who won’t be terrified with messy Turkish traffic.
Food: Turkey is not so expensive as Europe, so for 10$-20$ you could have a nice dinner for 2 people in an average cafe or a restaurant.
Shopping: Turkish delight, spices, coffee pots, vintage, and ceramics should be on your list.
Attractions: You can still visit the places by yourself, but we recommend you to book a tour around, so your time will be organized by the professionals. It’s the best variant for those, who want to see a lot in a short time period.
Type 4: Comfort Class
If you are not in the reduced circumstances and able to pay more for some extra comfort, you have many options to spend a nice time in Turkey.
Accommodation: You’ll need at least 350-500 TL to stay in four-star hotels or rent a comfortable Airbnb apartment. You can also afford traveling by air around Turkey and rent a car even if you are traveling alone.
Food: It won’t be a problem for you to have a meal in almost any restaurant.
Shopping: Glass lamps, Turkish carpets and lots more!
Attractions: If you want to save some time and effort during your trip, it’ll be better for you to book a tour. According to your preferences, you can have a day tour around the city you’ve stayed or travel to some other parts of Turkey.
Type 5: Deluxe travel
Luxury hotels, posh cafes and only exclusive offers - do you recognize your lifestyle? If you say “yes”, well, lucky you! There are a lot of ways you can spend your money in Turkey.
Accommodation: You’ll need at least 500-1000 TL and up for staying at 5-star hotels. You can also search for some unique and fancy options on Airbnb.
Food: Any restaurant in Istanbul would love to host you! You can enjoy breakfast on the rooftops, lunch with the Bosphorus view and dinner on the yacht.
Shopping: For luxury shopping, check Nisantasi neighborhood for some exclusive design ware or the shopping malls like Kanyon or Zorlu Center.
Attractions: You can take a private tour around Turkey, rent a yacht in the South of Turkey or even have a hot air balloon trip in Cappadocia.
