Cost Istanbul trip – how much budget is required
Are you planning a trip to Istanbul and wondering about prices in Istanbul? In this article, I’ll break down all the expenses. Hence, you will have a clear idea of how expensive your Istanbul trip will be.
All information in this article and more is also included in my YouTube video:
Overview cost Istanbul trip
Let’s assume a four-night extended weekend trip to Istanbul.
And imagine you’re visiting with a friend or partner in autumn.
I will show prices in Istanbul you can expect for the flight, hotel, transportation, museums, food, drink and entertainment.
- Flight
- Taxi from airport to hotel and return
- Hotel
- Public transportation
- Museums
- Bosphorus tour
- Food
- Cafés / dessert
I will show mid-range prices per person, so you get a realistic sense of what to budget.
(All prices in this overview are as of September 2024)
1) Flight
Let’s start with the flight. The cost obviously depends on the departure airport.
For this estimate, I’ve assumed you’re flying from a European airport to Istanbul. The ticket price will be around 300 Euros per person.
2) Taxi from airport to hotel and return
When you arrive at the airport in Istanbul, I recommend taking a taxi to make the most of your limited time in the city.
You can share the ride, which costs about 14 Euros per person. For your return trip to the airport, it will be another 14 Euros per person.
3) Hotel
For accommodation, I’m assuming a more budget-friendly option, since you will spend most of the time exploring the city.
You can find a double-bedroom in a good boutique hotel in Istanbul for around 50 Euros per person per night. This includes breakfast and costs in total 200 Euros per person.
4) Public transportation
To get around in Istanbul, I recommend using public transportation.
Just buy one red Istanbulkart for both of you. The card then costs 2 Euros per person. Even if you use the card frequently, you won’t spend more than 15 Euros per person.
In total, this is 17 Euros on public transportation per person
5) Museums
Istanbul is rich in history, so I highly recommend visiting one or two museums.
Let’s say you visit the Hagia Sophia which costs 25 Euros per person. And also assume you visit the Basilica cistern, which costs around 24 Euros per person.
5) Bosphorus tour
Another must do is a Bosphorus tour. This costs only 4 Euros per person.
6) Food
Next are dinners. Let’s say you dine out three times in standard restaurants. Prices there will be around 14 Euros per meal per person including non-alcoholic drinks.
Let us also assume you want to splurge one evening either at the Bosphorus or go to one of the popular steak restaurants in Istanbul. Here I estimate 50 Euros per person.
Note, most of these expensive places include a 10% service charge. So tipping separately isn’t necessary.
Even though mostly breakfast is included in the hotel, I highly recommend trying a traditional Turkish breakfast once. It’s a feast and will cost around 20 Euros per person in popular spots.
7) Cafés / dessert
In the afternoons or evenings, you will likely spend some time relaxing in cafés or dessert shops.
For those, I’m budgeting a total of 30 Euros per person for the entire trip.
Total costs
In total, this adds up to around 750 Euros or 820 US Dollars per person.
These prices are just a guideline for a mid-range trip to Istanbul. You can definitely explore the city on a tighter budget or splurge more if you wish.
You can explore other articles about Istanbul by clicking on one of the following categories: