National Turkish currency- Turkish lira (TRY).

Except Turkish lira, many shops and stores (except supermarkets) accept US dollars ($) and euros (€). But it is better to have small amounts of lira with you.

Inflation at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries led to the depreciation of the lira. To overcome this situation, the Central Bank of Turkey took measures that led to the emergence of a “new Turkish lira”. In 2009, the prefix “new” was removed from the name of the lira, and new coins and banknotes were issued.

However, in ordinary speech, Turks also use old numbers. Often, instead of saying "1 lira", they say "one million". It is worth mentioning such phrases found in colloquial speech as “bir e-te-le” (bir YTL) - which actually means “bir lira”, i.e. one lira.

1 “new” Turkish lira, or simply Turkish lira = 1,000,000 old liras.

Average exchange rates in Turkey is 1 TRY (Turkish lira) ~ 20 rubles, 0.80 $ (US dollars), 0.5 € (euro).

Cash lira is accepted everywhere in Turkey, which will not cause any inconvenience during your holiday in Turkey.

Traveler's checks are accepted mainly in Istanbul, Ankara and major resort cities.

Currency exchange

Turkish banks are open from Monday to Friday, Saturday and Sunday are closed in most banks.

Banking hours in Turkey: on average 08:30 - 17:30, break 12:00 - 13:30

You shouldn’t come just before the bank closes: transactions are closer to 17:00
currency exchange may not be completed.

The situation in Turkish resorts is much better; banks are open seven days a week.

Exchange currency in Turkey You can do it almost anywhere: in bank branches, exchange offices, hotels, shops and markets.

At exchange offices, the lira exchange rate is usually more favorable, and the opening hours are much longer. But cases of fraud and deception are not uncommon. Usually it lies in the fact that the rate indicated on the sign is valid only for large amounts (from $1000). Moreover, such tricks are within the law: information in Turkish about the terms of exchange is written in smaller print under the sign.

Another place where you can change currency is telephone and postal offices with a PTT sign. In these branches the exchange rate and conditions may be more favorable, because... commissions are minimal. However, when exchanging large amounts, you may have difficulties. For example, there may not be the required amount of cash.

Exchange rates are published daily in most Turkish newspapers.

Taxes on goods in Turkey

In Turkey there is a tax similar to the Russian VAT (value added tax). It's called KDV (katmad deger vegisi). For food it is 8%, and for clothing and other goods - 18% and is included in the cost of goods. When purchasing goods, you can use the Tax-Free system, i.e. VAT refund (KDV).

The Tax-Free system in Turkey operates in stores with a sign or logo of Tax Free Shopping or Global Refund.

In order to take advantage of the Tax-Free system in Turkey, you need to make purchases in the amount of 118 liras (approximately $80-90). In this case, you must ask for a special check in 3 copies. They contain information about the buyer and seller, a list of goods with price and VAT (KDV). The store may ask you to show your documents.

When leaving Turkey, within 3 months you must present receipts and goods to a special customs officer responsible for VAT payments (KDV). The employee must put a stamp.

After passing through customs and returning home, you should contact a special point for issuing money - Cash Refund Office or bank branches involved in paying out money under Tax-Free.

Another way is to send a letter with your checks to Turkey, to the Global Refund office.

Banks in Turkey

Largest banks in Turkey are “Ziraat Bankasy” (Agricultural Bank), “Khalik Bank” (People’s Bank), a bank with mixed capital - “Ish Bankasy” (Business Bank.) There are also private banks: “Yapi ve Kredi Bankasy” (Construction and Credit), “Garanti Bankasy” (Guarantee), “Akbank” (Mediterranean Bank) and “Denizbank” (Maritime Bank).

Bank cards in Turkey accept American Express, Eurocard, Diner’s Club, Master Card.

In addition to Turkish banks, there are also foreign banks in the country, such as: Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Fortis Bank, Finance Bank, Societe Generale, ING Bank, HSBC Bank.

Shopping in Turkey

Prices in supermarkets and shops are fixed; you won’t be able to bargain there. However, it is worth bargaining in markets, small shops and shops. And not only because they can give you a discount, but also because the price of goods for tourists is overpriced. Sometimes, by haggling, you can knock down up to 50% of the initial price.

At the restaurant

During your holiday in Turkey you can visit many restaurants and cafes. Leaving a tip in Turkish restaurants is quite common, and the tip size is about 10% of the bill. .

13.1€ (84.9 liras / 928.1 ₽) – minimum budget for a day in Istanbul 🇹🇷. This is enough for a good budget hostel, two trips on public transport and food (the amount is equal to two lunches in inexpensive cafes).

Article updated: October 2018. In 2017-2018, the Turkish lira fell sharply. More than 2 times in relation to the euro and dollar, almost twice as much as the ruble: in October 2016, one lira cost 20.2 rubles, and today – 10.9 rubles. Following the devaluation came high inflation - inflation is predicted to be at least 25% for 2018. But the country is still cheap.

This amount does not include the cost of flights and insurance. A round-trip ticket for a direct flight from Moscow can be found for 6-7 thousand rubles. Thanks to Pobeda for cheap tickets to Istanbul. Somewhat cheaper during sales (subscribe to the telegram channel @samokatus so as not to miss them).

Insurance can be selected on the services or or (these are insurance search engines for many insurance companies), prices start from 0.7 € per day.

Istanbul has two airports: New Istanbul Airport (IST) in the European part of the city and Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) in the Asian part. The new Istanbul Airport completely replaced Ataturk Airport in April 2019.

• Bus. City buses are a rather inconvenient way to leave or arrive at the airport. City buses have several routes to the airport (H2, H3, H4), but they do not depart from the city center. View routes and maps.
• Taxi: to Taksim no less than 115 liras (1,256.7 RUR). Get into a yellow taxi and make sure the taxi driver turns on the meter, which in most cases is located on the windshield. You can check the price to your destination on the website taksiyle.com.
• Transfers or costs 38 € (2,692.3 RUR).

If you arrived at Sabiha Gokcen (SAW):

• Fast and inexpensive - Havabus buses. They run every half hour to Kadikoy (14 liras), and Taksim (18 liras). The road to Kadikoy usually takes an hour, to Taksim - 1.5 hours. There is no need to book the bus in advance - there are always places available. You can pay for the fare inside during the trip. Buses run from 4.00 to 1.00 am. The schedule can be found on the Havabus website.
• City bus. You can buy a ticket from the driver (4 liras), or you can pay with an Istanbulkart transport card. Buses E10, E11 go to Kadikoy (full list of buses). In Kadikoy you can take the metro or ferry to the European part. Buses run 24 hours a day.
• Taxi: to Kadikoy 90 liras (983.5 ₽), to Taksim or the Fatih region - 100 liras (1,092.8 ₽).
• Transfer or with a sign and a Russian-speaking driver costs 40 € to Kadikoy, 53 € to Taksim or the Grand Bazaar area.

How to get around the city?

How much does public transport cost?

Istanbul has good public transport, although it can seem difficult to navigate. The Google Maps app does a pretty good job of planning routes, so you don't need to install anything extra.

The city has: buses, light rail, ferries, metro, Marmaray (metro under the Bosphorus between Asia and Europe) and metrobus. Each time you change trains, you will have to pay the fare again. And often you can’t do without a transplant. Therefore, the Istanbulkart transport card is mandatory. It can be purchased from vending machines at metro/ferry stations or at kiosks throughout the city. When purchasing, give 10 or 20 liras at once: 6 will go towards a deposit on the card, the rest will go towards travel.

One trip costs 2.6 liras (28.4 rubles), the first transfer is 1.85, the second is 1.4, the third and subsequent transfers are 0.9 liras. Ticket prices.

How much does a taxi cost?

Landing costs 4 liras (43.7 rubles), each kilometer – 2.5 (27.3 rubles). On the Taxiyle website you can calculate the approximate cost of the trip. Be sure to make sure the driver turns on the meter.

There is Uber in Istanbul, but it seems to be banned. The most popular app in Istanbul is BiTaksi. It calls you a regular yellow taxi, the price that the application shows is approximate - at the end of the trip the driver will enter the amount that will be on the meter.

There are thousands of taxi stops around the city; getting into a taxi on the street is usually faster than ordering one somewhere. Taxi is not the best mode of transport in Istanbul during the daytime. The city is constantly stuck in traffic jams and getting to the right place by public transport is often faster or does not take much longer.

Rent a Car

If you are going to rent a car, be sure to check the prices in several large online aggregators. Just keep in mind that gasoline is very expensive in Turkey. For Turkey we recommend:

• – one of the world's largest aggregators of rental offices. RentalCars withdraws money immediately in rubles and, in case of cancellation, returns it in rubles. RentalCars usually gives free additional options such as a second driver or unlimited mileage.
• – a large European aggregator. There is no surcharge for cancellations or changes made up to 48 hours before the start of the rental.

If you rent a car in advance, an Economy class car (like an Opel Corsa) will cost from 17 € per day. It will be a mechanic with incomplete insurance. Always read the terms of the contract carefully! Read our article ““, where we described 6 ways for companies to honestly take money from a traveler.

How much does housing cost in Istanbul?

Where to live in Istanbul? There are three worthy options: the Kadikoy areas in Asia, Karakoy and Fatih in Europe. Fatih is only if you need to live close to the main attractions like Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque - life dies there in the evening. For evening life, you need to go to the Besiktas or Kadikoy areas. In the Taksim area there are only nightclubs left for tourists from the Middle East.

Hotels: In inexpensive hotels, room prices start from 15-20 €, but these options may have low ratings (for example, Dilek Hotel or Rüyam Hotel). Options with ratings from 8 and in good areas will cost from 25 € (for example, Hotel Altun or Emirtimes Hotel). In a good three-star hotel you can rent a room from 35 € (for example, My Boutique Hotel or Seven Days Hotel), in the off-season you can also find a room in four-star hotels for the same price (with a Booking rating of 8.9 and 4 stars - an excellent option). In general, in such hotels you can rent a room for 45-50 € (for example, Holiday Inn or All Seasons Hotel).

Hostels: There are relatively few hostels in Istanbul. A good bed can cost from 7€ (for example, in Fatih)

AirBnb: There are a lot of apartments for rent in Istanbul. Try AirBnb if you want to find an apartment with a good location and, for example, access to the roof. These can cost 30-50€.

If you don't have an AirBnb account, you can get €36 off your first booking by signing up using this link.

Thus, good budget accommodation in Istanbul will cost you 7-10 € per night per person.

Ferry station in Kadikoy

How much does the connection cost?

Mobile communications in Turkey are expensive. Here is a rough comparison of the three leading operators for Internet packages:

A mobile WiFi router can be cheaper. Many companies (for example, Rent’n’connect or the same All Day Wifi) rent them out at a price of 5-6 € per day. For this money you will get unlimited Internet at a good speed, which can be distributed to any number of devices.

A way to save on communications is to order a SIM card for travelers DrimSim in Russia. Why we like Drimsim:

• cheap internet. ~10 € per 1 GB in many countries of the world (with the exception of third world countries rarely visited by tourists)
• The SIM card will work already on the plane: you can immediately order a taxi or write to the host.
• Billing is based on megabytes, i.e. for 100 MB you will pay ~1 €. If you are traveling to a country with inexpensive internet for more than 3-4 days, you should buy a local SIM card; if it’s less, then you should take a closer look at a travel SIM card.

Delivery of the card costs 10 €, and by ordering it using this link you will receive 7 € on your account as a gift. The minimum top-up amount for Dreamsim is 25€. Consider this point.

In Turkey, Drimsim costs 10 euros for 1 GB.

How much does food cost in restaurants?

Istanbul is a gastronomic paradise. Especially for street food fans. Here you may never enter a restaurant during your entire trip (although you will succumb to the barkers who shout “Buyurun”). In Istanbul you can find prices for every budget. Below are average prices in non-tourist areas

• Traditional Turkish breakfast Kahvaltı Tabağı (several types of cheese, sujuk, cucumbers, tomatoes, boiled egg, olives, butter, bread, tea/coffee) costs 20-30 liras. For 20 liras (218.6 rubles) this will be a portion for one, for 30 - a plate for two (327.8 rubles).
• Menemen– Turkish scrambled eggs, which they like to serve for breakfast from 15 liras (163.9 ₽).
• Tea– from 1.5 liras (16.4 ₽), Turkish coffee from 5 liras (54.6 ₽).
• Fast food: decent doner 8-15 liras; lentil soup (merjimek) 4-6 liras, lahmajun 6-8 liras, large pide 10-18 liras; simit – 1 lira.
• Look for establishments with the sign Lokanta. This is a cafe, there is often a counter like in a canteen and you can get what you want. You can have a hearty lunch from 15 liras (163.9 RUR). For example, the same merjimek soup can be found in lokants for 2.5 liras (27.3 rubles).

Shawarma with chicken + french fries + ayran = can be found for 10 liras or less. This will be a hearty and good snack.

In Istanbul, everything is very good with coffee and not so much with alcohol.

• There are a lot of establishments with good coffee, many where they make an alternative. Cup of cappuccino~10 liras (109.3 ₽), filter coffee from 9 liras (98.3 ₽), alternative from ~12 (131.1 ₽).
• There are many bars in Istanbul, but 99% of them only serve Tuborg, Efes or something else that is very different from beer. Bottle of beer costs from ~12 liras (131.1 rubles), although more often it is closer to 20. Sometimes you can find beer from local craft breweries (for example, Zikkim) - a bottle will cost from ~19 liras (207.6 rubles).
• Turkey has some good local wines and a lack of places to try them. One of the best wine places is Solera Winery. A glass of local wine will cost ~20 liras (218.6 RUR) on average. Cheese/meat plate from 35 liras (382.5 RUR).

How much do groceries cost in the supermarket?

Local goods in Turkey are inexpensive. Dairy products, cheeses, chocolate, nuts, dried fruits, local fruits and vegetables are on average 1.5 times cheaper than in Russia. It is best to buy vegetables and fruits in the markets that are located at every turn.

How much does entertainment cost?

There are many free walking tours in Istanbul: istanbul-freetour.com, freetour.com/istanbul, istanbul.viaurbis.com. Google will help you find more, but these have good reviews.

There are Hop-On Hop-Off buses in Istanbul, but, frankly speaking, sitting on a bus in a stuffy city is not a good experience. And it’s not cheap – Big Bus costs 35 € per ticket. Much more popular are Bosphorus tours, ranging from a simple ferry ride along the Bosphorus for a few hours to a full-day dinner cruise. The price for a tour is almost never fixed, so bargain. For a two-hour guided tour of the Bosphorus you can bargain for 20 liras (218.6 RUR) per person. But enterprising Turks will not hesitate to take 100 liras from you.

The Turkish bath is a popular entertainment. The main thing is don't go to Galatasaray Hamam. This place is surrounded by legends, but is distinguished only by high prices and poor service. In non-tourist hamams it costs 30-35 liras, another 10 for a massage, another 10 for a scrub. The most popular and famous hammam with good service is Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan. It is aimed at tourists and costs between 80 and 140 euros per visit.

You can find excursions from Russian-speaking guides on the websites or. Price from 20-30 € per person for an individual walking tour.

The most popular excursions on Tripster:

How much do souvenirs cost?

Souvenirs can be bought almost anywhere. Just don't forget to bargain. Popular things can be bought for next to nothing: 1€ for a dozen postcards, 0.5€ for magnets, 1-2€ for souvenir mugs, 2-3€ for wallets. Silver rings can cost 3-5 €, a set of 6 traditional tea glasses with saucers - from 1.5 €.

From Turkey they also bring Turkish coffee, copper products (Turk for your coffee, for example), spices, dried fruits, scarves, jam from rose petals, figs, olive oil, shoes, bags, jewelry and much more. Istanbul is a continuous and chaotic market. By walking around, asking prices and learning a few Turkish words, you can get a good deal on anything.

There are cool antique shops on Çukurjuma Street (Google Maps), next to the Museum of Innocence and in Kadıköy.

Museums of Istanbul

You can enter the Blue Mosque for free, the main thing is not to get there during prayer time (the schedule is indicated). A ticket to Hagia Sophia costs 60 liras, the same to Topkapi. To the Basilica and to the top of the Galata Tower - 25 liras. .

If you want to visit all the museums in Istanbul, then try buying the Istanbul Tourist Pass. At first glance, it is incredibly expensive (95 € for two days, 145 for seven days), but it includes a free transfer to the hotel (that's 30 €), a mobile router (that's 35 € for a week), entrance to 12 museums, a cruise on Bosphorus, Turkish baths and other things. If you use the card to its fullest, it will pay off.

How much more expensive is it in Istanbul compared to Moscow?

Average prices for restaurants in Istanbul are 20% cheaper. More details at numbeo.com.

When to come to Istanbul?

The ideal time to visit Istanbul is April and October. At this time, the weather and housing prices are optimal. In summer the city is very hot, prices in hotels and restaurants are higher due to the tourist season. So don’t even think about coming in the summer.

Total. So how much will I spend?

So, minimum:

• 7-10 € for accommodation
• 1.6-2 € for transport
• 4.5-10 € for food (cafes and supermarkets)
: 1 TRY = 0.2 EUR = 10.9 RUB How to get 10 euros from GoEuro (now Omio). They can be spent on any purchase: air, trains, buses, etc.
• Drimsim- SIM card for travel. 💥 Receive 7 euros as a gift on your mobile. Internet while traveling.
• Aviasales bot for messengers- in Telegram, Viber, FB Messenger and Slack you can set up a bot to search for abnormally cheap prices. Convenient setup via mobile. browser version and push notifications directly to telegram. You can choose a destination “anywhere” or something specific and set the discount amount (for example, 40% of the average price). In short, a fire bot is 100 times better than an email subscription.

Flights Moscow – Istanbul:

In our project we describe "Travel Budgets". More than 180 cities are already ready (Europe, most of Asia, America and Africa have begun). If you want to help us in this difficult matter, you can fill out a short form with questions about the city that you know well.

And if we helped you save money or find something interesting, we will be glad if you support our project:

Article updated October 2018.

Hi all! If you have already subscribed to our YouTube channel, that's great, thank you for that. If you have not yet subscribed to our YouTube, I recommend doing so, you are missing out on a lot of interesting and useful videos about travel. Today I will tell you how to make your trip to Istanbul comfortable and enjoyable. Let's talk about money.

Turkey, of course, has its own currency and it is the Turkish lira, designated as TL. And, as it were, within the country, all payments should take place through this particular currency. However, there are nuances here, which I will tell you about in this article.

The first thing you should know: rubles don’t circulate in Istanbul, so don’t take Russian currency with you, you won’t need it. On the other hand, you are unlikely to buy a Turkish lira in Russia. Therefore, when traveling to Istanbul, take either US dollars or euros with you. What to buy is up to you, watch the courses, choose what will be more profitable for you. We often take US dollars with us; somehow the Turks treat them better than euros. Although, euros are also accepted for exchange without problems.

We have decided on the currency, now I will write you some useful recommendations.

You arrived at the airport, by the way, just the other day a new airport opened near Istanbul, the largest in Europe, I don’t know if it already receives planes, but perhaps you will fly there. Naturally, there are exchange offices at the airport. So, there is no need to change money in them.

You will take a taxi from the airport to Istanbul, don't worry about not having Turkish Liras. In a taxi you can pay in US dollars or euros. Taxi drivers are happy to accept them, just check the exchange rates for the Turkish lira on the Internet in advance to know whether the taxi driver has calculated your trip correctly. And only then, upon arrival in the city, you can exchange money for local currency at a good rate.

In some situations, for example, when we ran out of liras, and the exchange offices were far away or were already closed, in shops or cafes we paid in both dollars and euros. The Turks accept them and give change in liras at the exchange rate. Again, check the course on the Internet.

You don’t need to exchange all your money for lira at once, you won’t receive any discount for such an exchange, and where will you put the unspent lira later - that’s another question. Change money for a day - two - three, it will be more convenient, and then you won’t have to carry all these thousands of Turkish liras with you. We returned from Istanbul a few weeks ago, there is a crisis there now, the lira has fallen significantly. We exchanged 200 euros and received 1,260 Turkish lira. This money in Istanbul can be enough for shopping, food and souvenirs. For example, the average bill in a cafe will be about 30 TL per person, in a restaurant - 50 TL per person.

Where is the best place to change money in Istanbul?

We always change money at exchange offices in Istanbul, exchange offices, in short. There are a great many of them in the city, and they differ from each other in two parameters:

• exchange rates
• presence/absence of exchange commission.

We tested many exchangers, talked with local residents, and found the best option for ourselves. Here, of course, a lot depends on the area in which you will live. For example, we always stay in the Old Town. And there the Özmenler Döviz exchanger helps us out a lot. It contains commissions and always current exchange rates, so we only change money there. Of course, this option is not the only one; you can simply go through the exchangers and choose the best option for yourself. But, if you are in the Old Town and don’t know where to change your money, keep in mind our option.

In any case, when you find an exchanger and decide to change money there, be sure to check the information about the commission, and it would not be amiss, before searching for an exchange office, to check on the Internet the current exchange rate of the Turkish lira to the currency that you are going to change. Actually, exchanging money is not a complicated and quick procedure. After the exchange, you will definitely be given a receipt, which will indicate both the amount and the exchange rate, so you can check. And, most importantly, do not forget the golden rule: check your money without leaving the cash register.

Are credit cards accepted in Istanbul?

Regarding bank cards and non-cash payments in Istanbul, the situation is ambiguous. In this sense, the Russian 90s continue in Istanbul, when everyone preferred to use cash and no bank accounts were recognized. It’s the same in Istanbul, there are non-cash payments, but the Turks prefer cash. I’ll tell you a few nuances of using bank cards:

• Some stores and restaurants still have old terminals, and many cards, especially foreign ones, may not work;
• There is a minimum limit for unlimited payments, that is, you will not be able to pay for a purchase if it is less than 10 or 20 Turkish lira. I don’t remember the exact figure, but if I’m not mistaken, these minimum amounts vary in different places;
• In most cases, when paying with cards, you may be charged a small commission, while paying in cash will cost you a little less;
• In those places where there are cashless payment terminals, good old cash is still preferred, so it is possible that you will first be told that payment by card is possible, and when the time comes to pay the bill, the staff will pretend that the terminal has suddenly broken down.

Of course, you can take money on the card, but you shouldn’t give up cash, you’ll definitely need it.

Is it possible to withdraw money from ATMs in Istanbul without commission?

Unfortunately, I cannot answer this question, since we have never practiced this method. Although no, they filmed it once, it was Deniz Bank, a subsidiary bank of Sberbank of Russia. In the ATMs of this bank, back in the winter of 2018, it was possible to withdraw cash from Sberbank cards without any commissions. And it was convenient. However, already in the spring of 2018, Sberbank sold this same Deniz Bank, and, I think, this option no longer works or works, but with a commission. If you come across such information on the Internet, now you know how things really stand as of November 2018.

By the way, now you can watch a video about how and where to change money in Istanbul. Our YouTube channel checkineurope has already published many useful and interesting videos about Istanbul and other cities. Subscribe and travel with us!

Istanbul is a city of ample opportunities for excursions and shopping; here you want to try different dishes and visit a thousand places. Before you go to this wonderful city, you will probably wonder how much money to take with you.

First, let’s figure out what kind of money is best to take to Istanbul. If you don’t have Turkish lira in your hands, it doesn’t matter - you can always change dollars upon arrival, there will be no problems with currency exchange. When exchanging, ask for small, current bills. It is advisable to take dollars with you rather than euros - their exchange rate to the lira is slightly more favorable. In addition, if you run out of lira and have to pay in dollars, you will lose a maximum of 10 percent of the amount, and if you pay in euros - from 20 to 30%.

In Istanbul, VISA and Mastercard bank cards are accepted almost everywhere; you only have to pay in cash to street vendors selling pastries and roasted chestnuts on Istiklal Street.

Accommodation

How much money you spend on accommodation depends, first of all, on your pretentiousness and need for comfort.

The most profitable alternative would be a hostel, the cost of 1 night of accommodation in which will be from 30 liras and more, depending on the availability of amenities. Hostels and guesthouses are scattered here and there throughout the city, but there are especially many of them in the tourist areas of Istanbul - Sultanahmet and Taksim.

In the Taksim Square area there are also aparthotels (from the word “apartments”), where you can comfortably stay for a price starting from 50 liras per person in a double room. The rooms of these hotels have all the amenities, including a shower, hairdryer, TV and much more.

If comfort and the availability of breakfast are important to you, you can stay in a mid-category hotel, where the price per night starts from 150 liras per person.

Transport

Istanbul is a city with long distances, so be prepared to set aside a separate amount of cash for transportation costs. The easiest and fastest way to get from the airport to the city center is by Havaş bus, which departs directly from the exit from the international terminal with a regularity of 30 minutes (one-way fare is 12 liras).

If your hotel or hostel is located in the city center, a taxi will cost at least 50 liras, and in terms of time it is unlikely to be faster than the Havash bus.

The rest of your transportation costs will depend on whether you like to walk or prefer to travel comfortably by metro, how many places you want to see, and so on. Upon arrival in Istanbul, it is better to immediately purchase an Istanbulkart travel card. It can be used in subways, trams, metrobuses, sea and regular buses.

On average, transport costs in Istanbul will be about 15-20 liras per day per person, that is, from 100 to 150 liras per week.

Nutrition

The Turkish metropolis has many food outlets, including cafes, restaurants, teahouses and much more. In the Taksim area, along Istiklal Street, you can find stylish cafes with good prices for every taste.

For those looking for ways to save money, an excellent option would be to eat in budget cafes, as well as Turkish fast food such as döner (local shawarma) or börek (Turkish pie with cheese or meat filling). Such a lunch will cost 5-10 liras.

Average food prices in Istanbul (for 1 person):

• Lunch in a budget cafe – 20 liras
• Dinner in an inexpensive restaurant – from 30 liras
• Set of döner + ayran in street cafes – 6 liras
• Balyk-ekmek (toast with fish) – 7 liras
• Fresh orange – from 3 liras

If you plan to save on food, you will spend about 70 liras per day per person, or approximately 500 liras for a week of a full stay in Istanbul. If you eat large and drink alcohol, you are guaranteed at least 800-1000 liras in food expenses.

It is difficult to talk about the average amount of funds that will be needed for excursions in Istanbul, because the amount depends on the frequency of trips to museums, palaces and other memorable places.

If you have a limited budget, you can cut down on excursions and simply walk around the Sultanahmet area, go to the Blue Mosque and enjoy the beautiful views of the Bosphorus, which open from many hills of the city.

Tourists who want to visit Hagia Sophia, Topkapi and Dolmabahce Palaces, Basilica Cistern, Galata Tower, Rumeli Hisarya Fortress and many other fabulous places in Istanbul usually take about 200 liras with them.

Istanbul can surprise even those tourists who have been there more than once. What can we say about travelers coming to one of the most beautiful Turkish cities for the first time! The former have an advantage over the latter: they already know where to stay, which restaurant to go to, what to see, and how much money to borrow. Tourists who are just discovering a city on the banks of the Bosphorus, noisy and restless in the East, but so attractive, often have a question: what amount will be enough to not limit themselves in spending on vacation.

Istanbul is an inexpensive city, although travel websites now and then come across reviews indicating the opposite. All goods and services here are paid for in Turkish lira. In recent years, the exchange rate of the Turkish lira against other world currencies has seriously decreased, so the cost of accommodation, food and souvenirs has also dropped significantly.

It is better to go to Istanbul with dollars. Rubles are readily accepted for exchange only in tourist areas: at the resorts of the Mediterranean Sea.

Hotels and hostels

The maximum prices for accommodation in Istanbul are set in the summer, when most tourists come here. In spring, autumn and winter, housing costs decrease.

In Istanbul you can find both cheap hostels and expensive hotels. Hostels are mainly chosen by young people traveling light. Usually in hostels you can find rooms for six people. For example, a bed in such a room can be rented for $15 in the budget hotels Cheers Lighthouse and Bucoleon by Cheers. A bunk bed at the Big Apple Hostel & Hotel is available for a dollar less.

The cost of living in two-star hotels in Istanbul per person per night starts from $19 and can reach $38. Tourists speak well of the “Hotel Akkus” in the European part of Istanbul and the “Carvan hotel” in the Old City.

The price of a room in three-star Istanbul hotels varies from 25 to 80 dollars. In the Taksim area there is an excellent three-star hotel “The Galataport Hotel”. In the center of Istanbul you can find many interesting accommodation options, for example, Blue House Hotel, Hotel Aslan Istanbul and many others.

Rooms in four-star hotels rent for $45-80 per day. I would especially like to note the high service in the hotels “Holiday Inn Istanbul Old City”, “Ramada Istanbul Grand Bazaar”, “Park Dedeman Levent”, awarded with four stars.

There are also expensive five-star hotels in Istanbul. The cost of living in them starts from 60-70 dollars and can reach 300-400 dollars per night. Relatively cheap five-star hotels are Hotel Zurich Istanbul, Mövenpick Istanbul Hotel Golden Horn, Arts Hotel Istanbul. The former Sultan's palace now houses the fashionable five-star hotel Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istambul, where a room costs $375.

Getting around Istanbul

It is impossible to say that all the attractions of Istanbul are concentrated in a few blocks of the center. To get the most complete picture of the city, you will have to travel around it far and wide. Experienced tourists recommend immediately stocking up on a plastic Istanbulcart card for 6 liras, on which you can put money to pay for travel. In almost any type of transport (with the exception of taxis and private buses), the card is applied to a reader installed near the driver or right at the stop, which removes the fare. The cost of one trip is 1.95 liras.

Types of transport popular among tourists in Istanbul:

• city ​​buses. Their network covers the whole of Istanbul. Some routes connect the European and Asian parts of the city through road bridges spanning the Bosphorus. City buses slow down at stops if passengers give a hand signal. This type of transport runs until 23.00;
• Metrobuses are the same buses, but more comfortable. The price for travel on such modern transport is 2.4 liras. If a person travels one or two stops, then the cost of the ticket is partially reimbursed on the card;
• dolmushi - minibuses that do not accept payment using Istanbulcart. They travel short distances and depart only after the cabin is full. The cost of travel on dolmus varies, it is reported by the driver;
• minibuses are more spacious than dolmushi minibuses. It is also impossible to pay for a ticket with an Istanbulcart card;
• trams. There are a total of 6 tram lines in Istanbul. There are also old trams on Istiklal Boulevard and in the Asian part of Istanbul, in which tourists enjoy riding. Fare in them costs, as in other urban modes of transport, 1.95 liras;
• metro. In Istanbul, the metro began to develop at the end of the last century. There are few stations here, but they are all located very well - in crowded tourist places. A metro ticket will cost 1.95 liras if you pay with an Istanbulcart card;
• funiculars. There are two cable cars in Istanbul. One connects two districts - Karakoy and Beyoglu, the second - coastal Kabatash with Beyoglu. You can pay for travel with an Istanbulcart card;
• Ferries are a very popular form of transport in Istanbul. Ferries carry passengers across the Bosphorus and take visitors and residents of Istanbul to the picturesque Princes' Islands. If you don’t have an Istanbulcart card, a ferry ticket will cost 4 lira.

To get around Istanbul, you can set aside about 50-70 liras per week per person.

Cost of food

It is impossible to stay hungry in Istanbul! There are cafes and restaurants to suit every taste and budget. These establishments can be divided into the following categories:

• Turkish restaurants. Expensive and pretentious. But the food they serve is quite tasty. To avoid being left with a huge bill, it is better to study the menu with prices before ordering food. Good establishments designed for tourists are located in the area of ​​Istiklal Street. The cost of dishes there will be higher than average. Fish restaurants should be looked for near the embankment, for example, in the Karaköy area. One serving of fried fish here will cost 20 liras ($3.6) or more. You can buy seafood at your local fish market and take it to a nearby restaurant, where they will cook it for you for a small fee. Kebabs and other meat dishes are served everywhere in Istanbul. Local residents recommend trying them at the Taksim Bahcıvan restaurant. Dinner there will cost about 30-40 liras (5.4-7.2 dollars);
• cafe. There are Starbucks coffee shops in Istanbul, but it is better to try Turkish coffee (from 6 liras) and tea (from 1.5 liras) in local establishments. Tourists really like Istanbul's pastry shops with a rich history. Sweets and drinks to go with them are sold here. You can buy them to take away, or you can taste them right there at the table. Desserts will cost 8-10 liras ($1.45-1.8);
• street kiosks. The cheapest, but very tasty and filling food is sold from street vendors. Here you can buy a kebab (lamb or chicken with vegetables and spices in pita bread) for less than 1 dollar, for 15 liras (2.7 dollars) to buy kumpir - a potato dish, for 8 liras (1.45 dollars) to find balyk ekmek - flatbread with fried fish, etc. Ice cream on the street costs 5 liras (90 cents).

To save money, many tourists buy food in supermarkets and cook for themselves. In shopping centers you can also find edible souvenirs to take home at low prices. For example, tea (10.5 liras (1.9 dollars) per half-kilogram pack), coffee (1.8 liras (32 cents) per 100 g), sweets (5-20 liras (0.9-3.6 dollars) ).

Expenses for excursions

Istanbul is a city where you can save a lot on excursions. To see Istanbul, it is not necessary to hire guides and sign up for expensive educational tours. It’s enough just to walk along the streets, go out onto embankments, spot domes and minarets, suddenly find yourself in wide squares or get lost among the narrow shopping rows of oriental bazaars. Sooner or later you will find yourself near local attractions, the entrance to which is not always paid. So, to see the Blue Mosque from the inside, you do not need to purchase entrance tickets.

All local residents recommend taking the elevator or walking to the observation deck in the Galata Tower. This pleasure costs 25 liras (4.5 dollars). 60 liras ($10.9) will be charged for entrance to Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace.

Knowledgeable tourists in Istanbul purchase the Istanbul Tourist Pass, which is valid for 2 (588 liras ($107)) or 7 (880 liras ($160)) days. It gives you the right to visit 12 museums, get to the hotel from the airport for free, take a boat ride on the Bosphorus, go to the hammam at no additional cost, etc.

In Istanbul, as in many cities around the world, there are tourist buses that make stops at all significant attractions. A ticket for a bus tour with the ability to get off at any tourist site, and then get on another bus and continue on costs about 220 liras ($40). Bosphorus cruises are much cheaper. You can find walks lasting 2 hours and costing 20 liras ($4).

The cost of a visit to a popular hammam, for example, Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan, will be about 440 liras ($80). Therefore, it is better to look for hammams for local residents. The entrance ticket to such establishments costs 35 liras ($6.3).

When going to Istanbul for a week, take with you about 180-200 dollars (1000-1100 Turkish lira). These funds will be enough for free movement around Istanbul, going to restaurants and modest shopping. For more serious purchases, stock up on about the same amount. In principle, $150 (825 liras) could be enough for one person for a seven-day trip to Istanbul if he eats street food and walks more. The cost of living is not included in this amount.