Budgeting for Istanbul: How Much Does a Trip Really Cost?

Before landing, learn the ins and outs of a “sufficiently luxurious” trip to Istanbul. Take note of budget-friendly and comfortable accommodation options, Istanbul food and drink prices, tips for daily expenses, and enjoy your vacation according to your budget.

Accommodation prices in Istanbul vary depending on expectations and location. In a large and crowded city, staying around the Bosphorus is a privilege and definitely offers a vacation filled with unique experiences at every moment.

Four-star hotels in the historic core have leapt to $110 for a double—and that’s before minibar raids or breakfast surcharges. Mid-range short-stay apartments city-wide average $100-$120 a night, depending on view and season.

Urban Quarters is deliberately priced in the lower half of that bracket (starting around $70 for studios that sleep two to four), but adds the extras you’d normally pay top-tier rates for:

Design-led interiors – think exposed brick, handmade tiles and proper blackout curtains.

Full kitchen & washer-dryer – cook breakfast from the corner market and wash clothes on day three instead of paying hotel laundry.

100 Mb/s Wi-Fi + smart TV – already included, not a pay-per-day add-on.

Zero-commute locations – doors open onto Karaköy ferry pier, Pera’s cafés or Sirkeci’s Marmaray station, cutting taxi costs to almost nil.

Run the maths for a group of three: an Urban Quarters flat at $90 costs, $30 per person, while two hotel rooms of similar quality would top $225. That’s the sweet spot reachable luxury—all the comfort, none of the wallet burn.

Istanbul is a moveable feast at every price tier. A simit from a street cart is ₺20 / $0.60, and the gulls eat half of it while your ferry leaves the dock. Slide up the scale and you’ll find sandwiches at ₺120 / $3.75, balık-ekmek under Galata Bridge for ₺150 / $5, and sit-down “inexpensive” plates of köfte around ₺400 / $12.50.

Mid-range bistros now hover at ₺1000-₺1200 / $31-$38 for two, including a Beyoğlu meze spread and shared dessert. Splurge nights? A chic rooftop in Nişantaşı will run ₺1500 / $47 for a three-course dinner for two, while Michelin-star tasting menus creep toward ₺2800 / $88 with wine pairings.

The beauty of an Urban Quarters kitchen is choice: brew your own specialty coffee for peanuts, stock chilled rosé from the supermarket next door, then step out for ocakbaşı grills when the mood (and budget) allows.

Istanbul’s culinary ecosystem is designed for mix-and-match dining and a furnished flat lets you play every card in the deck.

A single swipe on metro, tram, bus or ferry with an Istanbulkart is ₺27 (machines sell the card itself for ₺130).

Five rides a day = ₺135, still less than one cross-town taxi in peak traffic.

The entrance fee to historic palaces averages 1500 TL.

The entrance fee to the contemporary art gallery is approximately 300 TL.

Airport Transfers Without a Taxi

IST → Galata

M11 metro to Gayrettepe, tap onto M2 to Şişhane; total ₺27 × 2 and 55 min.

Havaist shuttle HVIST-10 to Karaköy/Taksim: ₺275, Wi-Fi and USB chargers on board.

SAW → Karaköy

M4 metro to Kadıköy + ferry: ₺54 and 65 min.

Havabus coach to Taksim via Galata: ₺121 Havaist

Use public transportation instead of taxis in Istanbul. Especially rail systems and ferries.

Try restaurants that are crowded at lunchtime for daily menus. People who work in this area are never wrong.

For affordable, good kebabs, the formula of queuing up at döner shops during lunchtime works. Follow the locals and eat at small döner stands instead of large restaurants.

Don't make spontaneous choices for dinner. There are dozens of excellent restaurants on the Michelin recommendation list.

Tips? Generally, 10% is left, but it's not mandatory—only if you're satisfied with the service.

Looking for an easy breakfast? You can go to the first simit bakery you see. All pastries in Turkey are very tasty. Of course, you should have Turkish tea with it.

You don't have to carry water with you. Water is sold at every kiosk in Istanbul and is reasonably priced.

For shopping, opt for bazaars, vintage shops, and small design stores. You'll find better deals than at big-name brands. Istanbul is a shopper's paradise.

Rent a fully equipped apartment instead of a hotel. On some days, prepare small snacks in your own kitchen. After a long day out, relax on your couch after a good shower. Brew your own coffee. Feel local, save money.