| Daily budget | £37 to £58 in economy mode, £92 to £137 in comfort, £187 and up in treat mode, per person, flights not included |
| Flights from London | £96 return in January, £253 in July, £262 in August (KAYAK medians); about 3h53 direct |
| Hotel night | £81.21 on average from January to August 2026; around £50 for a budget double |
| Meals | 600 ₺ (£8.88) in a cheap restaurant, 1,325 ₺ (£19.62) per person in a mid-range one |
| Transport | 46.20 ₺ (£0.68) a journey with the İstanbulkart, card 165 ₺ (£2.44) |
| Sights | Topkapi 2,750 ₺ (£40.71), Hagia Sophia £20.82, Galata Tower £24.99; Blue Mosque and Süleymaniye free |
| Currency | Turkish lira (₺): £1 = 67.5454 ₺ on 4 November 2026 |
| Who it is for | Any UK traveller planning 2 to 7 days in Istanbul who wants to cost the trip line by line |
A trip to Istanbul costs £37 to £58 a day per person in economy mode and £92 to £137 in comfort, flights excluded. Add a London return from £96 in January or £253 in July. Sights have risen most: 2,750 ₺ (£40.71) for Topkapi, £20.82 for Hagia Sophia.
The first lever is the area you sleep in: I compare the best areas to stay in Istanbul and their prices. Landing late? A transfer booked in advance saves you haggling at the airport rank: compare airport transfers.
Affiliate disclosure: this guide contains affiliate links (GetYourGuide, Booking, Uber, Airalo). Details in the note at the bottom of the page.
How much should you budget per day in Istanbul?
Allow £47 a day in economy mode, £107 in comfort and £245 in treat mode, accommodation included and flights excluded. These are my reference amounts, recalculated with November 2026 prices; the table breaks down each line per person, based on a shared double room.
| Line, per person per day | Economy | Comfort | Treat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | £21 to £25 | £37 to £50 | £83 to £125 |
| Meals and drinks | £13 to £17 | £28 to £37 | £50 to £75 |
| Transport | £2 to £4 | £4 to £8 | £12 to £25 |
| Sights | £0 to £12 | £21 to £42 | £42 to £83 |
| Total per day | £37 to £58 | £92 to £137 | £187 to £308 |
Economy mode means a hostel or small hotel, meals in lokantas and street food, public transport and above all the free sights. Comfort is a well-placed 3-star hotel, a proper dinner every evening and one big paid sight a day. Beyond that the budget climbs fast with Bosphorus terraces, private guides and taxis.
How much are flights from the UK to Istanbul?
Between £96 and £262 return from London, depending on the month. KAYAK’s medians over 12 months give £96 in January, £253 in July and £262 in August, with a typical range of £113 to £271 and an average of £178. Direct flights take about 3h53, and six airlines run the route: Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, British Airways, AJet, Wizz Air and easyJet.
Check the arrival airport too. Turkish Airlines and most scheduled carriers land at Istanbul Airport (IST), about an hour from the centre; Pegasus and the low-cost airlines mostly use Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) on the Asian side. A cheaper ticket to SAW can lose its advantage if you stay in Sultanahmet, because the journey is longer.
From IST, the Havaist shuttle to Sultanahmet or Taksim costs 470 ₺ (£6.96) per person. All the other options, from the M11 metro to a private transfer, are in my guide to airport transfers from IST and SAW. To fly for less, the season matters more than the airline.
Travelling from the UK: visa, money, plugs and phone
British citizens need no visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, but your passport must expire at least 150 days after the day you arrive and have a blank page, according to the FCDO travel advice updated on 27 October 2026.
- Time: Turkey is on UTC+3 all year, so it is 3 hours ahead of the UK in winter and 2 hours ahead during British Summer Time.
- Plugs: Turkey uses type C and F sockets. Bring an adapter for your UK type G chargers.
- Phone: Turkey is outside the EU, and many UK tariffs charge extra for data there. Check your operator before you fly, or install an eSIM (see below).
- Money: take a card with no foreign transaction fees, and always choose to pay in lira when a terminal asks (more on that further down).
- Safety: read the FCDO travel advice for Türkiye before you book. The British Consulate-General is in Beyoğlu.
Local tip: price flights and hotels well ahead for the May bank holiday weekends (3 and 31 May 2027) and for school half-terms. UK demand peaks then, and the cheapest rooms in small Sultanahmet hotels go first.
How much is a hotel night in Istanbul?
A hotel night costs £81.21 on average in Istanbul over the first eight months of 2026, and £86.47 in August, according to the TÜROB hoteliers’ association. Below £50 for a double room you are in budget territory; a good central 3-star is around £83.
The area sets the price. Sultanahmet is the handiest for the sights and the dearest for the same comfort. Karaköy and Beyoğlu offer the best value if you want to go out in the evening. Kadıköy, on the Asian side, stays the cheapest, 20 minutes by ferry from the old city. Breakfast is almost always included: check, because it is worth a meal.
Local tip: from November to March, outside Christmas and New Year, small Sultanahmet hotels cut their prices sharply. For a stay of 3 nights or more, ask reception for the “direct” rate: I have often been offered better than the booking platforms, breakfast included.
How much do Istanbul’s sights cost?
Sights are the heaviest line: allow about £150 for Topkapi, Dolmabahçe, Hagia Sophia, Galata and the Basilica Cistern. The national palaces price in lira; the ministry museums and Hagia Sophia use a fixed tariff in a foreign currency, so their lira and sterling amounts move with the exchange rate. Mosques and bazaars stay free.
| Sight | Adult foreign visitor price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Topkapi Palace (palace, Harem, Hagia Irene) | 2,750 ₺ (£40.71), closed on Tuesdays | millisaraylar.gov.tr |
| Dolmabahçe Palace | 2,000 ₺ (£29.61), closed on Mondays | millisaraylar.gov.tr |
| Hagia Sophia, upper gallery | £20.82 (about 1,406 ₺) | Directorate General of Foundations |
| Galata Tower | £24.99 (about 1,688 ₺); a rise to £29.15 is announced for 1 April 2027 | muze.gov.tr |
| Maiden’s Tower, entry and boat | £22.49 (about 1,519 ₺) + 110 ₺ (£1.63) for the boat | muze.gov.tr |
| Basilica Cistern | 2,250 ₺ (£33.31) | price confirmed by Kevin, 4 November 2026 |
| Blue Mosque, Süleymaniye, Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar | Free | sultanahmetcami.org |
Common mistake: “Topkapi costs 2,000 ₺”. Many guides still repeat a figure like this. The official national palaces page, checked on 4 November 2026, sets the combined ticket at 2,750 ₺, or £40.71 today. The 2,000 ₺ figure is the current Dolmabahçe ticket, or an out-of-date Topkapi price. Budget about £40 for Topkapi, not £30.
The free sights are as good as the paid ones: the Süleymaniye has the finest courtyard in the city and a view over the Golden Horn. My ranking of the visits, free and paid, is in my list of the best things to do in Istanbul.
Istanbul Tourist Pass or separate tickets: which is cheaper?
For 2 days of intense sightseeing the difference is small; for 3 days the pass saves about £33. If you only see Hagia Sophia and Topkapi (£61.54 at the ticket office), buy your tickets. The calculation below uses the six big sights covered by the pass, at official ticket-office prices:
| Programme | Separate tickets | Pass, GetYourGuide price | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hagia Sophia + Topkapi only | £61.54 (4,156 ₺) | £165.75 (2 days) | Tickets win by £104.21 |
| 6 big sights in 2 days (Hagia Sophia, Topkapi, Dolmabahçe, Cistern, Maiden’s Tower, dinner cruise) | £178.18 (12,035 ₺) | £165.75 (11,196 ₺) | Pass wins by £12.43 |
| The same + hop-on hop-off bus on day 3 | £215.66 (14,567 ₺) | £182.41 (12,321 ₺) | Pass wins by £33.25 |
My verdict: the pass is not an automatic saving. It pays off from 3 days and 6 big sights, skip-the-line entry included. For a weekend with two sights, the ticket office is cheaper. The site-by-site detail is in my full review of the Istanbul Tourist Pass.
How much does a meal cost in Istanbul?
Allow 600 ₺ (£8.88) for a meal in a cheap restaurant and 1,325 ₺ (£19.62) per person for a three-course meal in a mid-range one, drinks not included, according to Numbeo in late October 2026. Prices often double facing the sights of Sultanahmet or on İstiklal Avenue.
| Item | Price | In pounds |
|---|---|---|
| Simit (sesame bread ring) | 30 ₺ | £0.44 |
| Çay in a neighbourhood tea house | 20 to 30 ₺ | £0.30 to £0.44 |
| Çay on a tourist terrace | up to 90 to 100 ₺ | up to £1.48 |
| 1.5 L bottle of water in a supermarket | 28 ₺ | £0.41 |
| Döner (chicken or meat) | 200 to 650 ₺ | £2.96 to £9.62 |
| Lokanta meal (soup, dish of the day, bread) | allow about 350 to 600 ₺ | £5.18 to £8.88 |
| Meal in a cheap restaurant | 600 ₺ | £8.88 |
| Three-course meal, mid-range restaurant, per person | 1,325 ₺ | £19.62 |
| Local beer, 0.5 L, in a bar | 230 ₺ | £3.41 |
Alcohol costs a lot because of taxes: a beer at 230 ₺ in a bar, a rooftop cocktail two to three times that. Çay remains the best value for pleasure in the city: served scalding in its tulip glass, with two sugar cubes on the saucer.
Common mistake: “a full meal in a lokanta costs £3 to £5”. This figure, still repeated by many guides, predates the price rises of 2025 and 2026. Numbeo gives 600 ₺ (£8.88) for a meal in a cheap restaurant on 28 October 2026, and a soup and dish of the day in a lokanta now cost more than 350 ₺ (£5.18). Restaurant prices are revised several times a year with inflation: budget at least £5 for the simplest meal.
Local tip: a good lokanta is recognised by its stainless-steel counter with the dishes of the day simmering under the lamps, and by the queue of office workers in shirts at noon. Point at what you want, and ask for a half portion (yarım porsiyon): two half portions cost less than one full plate on a terrace.
How much does transport cost in Istanbul?
Public transport is the cheapest line of the trip: 46.20 ₺ (£0.68) a journey by metro, tram, bus or funicular with the İstanbulkart, since 20 July 2026. The card costs 165 ₺ (£2.44) and can be shared between travellers.
| Transport | Price | In pounds |
|---|---|---|
| İstanbulkart (empty card) | 165 ₺ | £2.44 |
| Metro, tram or bus journey with an İstanbulkart | 46.20 ₺ | £0.68 |
| Journey paid by contactless bank card | 65 ₺ as a rule | £0.96 |
| Ferry from Kadıköy to Eminönü, Karaköy or Beşiktaş | 65.21 ₺ | £0.97 |
| Havaist shuttle from IST airport to Sultanahmet | 470 ₺ | £6.96 |
| Yellow taxi: pick-up charge, then per km | 71.94 ₺ + 47.92 ₺ per km | £1.07 + £0.71 per km |
| Yellow taxi: minimum fare | 230 ₺ | £3.41 |
At 4 journeys a day you spend less than 200 ₺ (about £2.74) daily. Where to buy the card, how much to load and how to share it: it is all in my guide to buying and topping up the İstanbulkart.
Taxi or Uber in Istanbul: how do you avoid being ripped off?
A taxi is the one transport that can wreck a tight budget in Istanbul. Here is what happened to me, and my fix.
Mid-afternoon outside the Spice Bazaar in Eminönü: a driver quoted me “thirty pounds” flat to Beşiktaş, about 5 km away, meter off and no discussion, and he wanted to be paid in foreign cash.
👉 Click here and install Uber before you go
The price of an Uber ride is shown before you get in. Ride and driver are logged in the app, you pay by card, and there is no haggling.
Kevin’s tip: taxi money is the one line of my budget I never managed to predict, so I stopped guessing: the fare is on my screen before I confirm, and the route stays on record.
How do you get internet in Istanbul from the moment you land?
To follow your spending live you need data from the airport onwards. Turkey is outside the EU, and many UK tariffs charge extra for data there, so check yours before you fly.
Checking a lira price on a menu against the live rate, comparing two Booking listings, confirming a sight’s official ticket price before you pay: without data, you spend blind.
👉 Click here to buy your Airalo eSIM now, before you go
Get a discount on your first purchase with this link
Kevin’s tip: a roaming bill can quickly cost more than a night in a budget hotel; Airalo is the cheapest provider I have found, and the eSIM installs before you leave on an eSIM-compatible phone.
Should you pay in lira, pounds or by card?
Pay in Turkish lira, by card or in cash, never in pounds or any other foreign currency. Shops that accept foreign cash apply their own rate, often well below the official one. Cards work almost everywhere: hotels, museums, restaurants, supermarkets and even the metro turnstiles.
- At the card terminal: if the screen offers to charge you in pounds or in lira, always choose lira (TRY). If you accept pounds, the merchant’s bank sets the conversion rate, in its own favour.
- At the cash machine: decline the conversion offered by the machine too. Most Turkish machines charge their own fees, shown on screen before you confirm: compare two banks if the amount looks high.
- At the exchange office: change only a small amount at the airport, then the rest at a döviz in the centre with no commission. Compare the displayed rate with the TCMB rate of the day.
- In cash: keep 500 to 1,000 ₺ (£7.40 to £14.81) for street food, small shops and tips, which run at about 5 to 10% in restaurants.
Local tip: before you leave, get a bank card with no foreign transaction fees: over a week of card payments, the fees of a standard UK card (typically 2 to 3% per transaction) can easily add up to the price of a dinner.
What does a 3, 5 or 7 day trip to Istanbul cost in total?
For a 3-day comfort weekend, allow about £392 per person, flights included; for 5 days in July, about £764; for 7 days in economy mode in the off-season, about £419. The calculations below use the same amounts as the daily table, plus the return Havaist shuttle (940 ₺, £13.92), and a London return flight.
| Trip, per person | Flight from London | Hotel | On the ground | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days, 2 nights, comfort, in January | £96.00 | £83.30 | £212.40 | £391.70 |
| 5 days, 4 nights, comfort, in July | £253.00 | £166.60 | £344.72 | £764.32 |
| 7 days, 6 nights, economy, in January | £96.00 | £139.92 | £183.39 | £419.31 |
Work out your Istanbul budget
My top itinerary for a day in Istanbul for under £15
The day I suggest to friends who want to see everything without paying for entry: under 1,000 ₺ (about £15) per person, meals and transport included, İstanbulkart not included.
- 08:30: a hot simit (30 ₺, £0.44) and a çay on Sultanahmet Square, as the Blue Mosque opens to visitors.
- 09:00: visit the Blue Mosque, free, before the tour groups; headscarves are lent at the entrance.
- 10:30: stroll across the Hippodrome, past the Obelisk of Theodosius and the Serpent Column, then walk down to the Grand Bazaar.
- 12:30: lunch in a lokanta around the Süleymaniye, soup and dish of the day for about 350 ₺ (£5.18).
- 14:00: the Süleymaniye courtyard and its terrace over the Golden Horn, then the Spice Bazaar.
- 16:30: ferry from Eminönü to Kadıköy, 65.21 ₺ (£0.97), just as the sun drops over the old city.
- 18:00: Kadıköy market, then a pide for dinner (about 300 ₺, £4.44) and the ferry back.
To string several days together on the same budget, follow my itinerary for 3 days in Istanbul.
How can you spend less in Istanbul?
- Start with the free sights: the Blue Mosque, Süleymaniye, Rüstem Paşa, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar cost nothing and fill a whole day.
- Take the public ferry instead of a cruise: the Eminönü to Kadıköy crossing costs 65.21 ₺ (£0.97) with the same view. The Şehir Hatları long Bosphorus tour costs 640 ₺ (£9.48) return, against 2,000 ₺ (£29.61) for a dinner cruise.
- Eat lunch in a lokanta and keep the restaurant for the evening: you halve the meals line.
- Buy water at the supermarket: 28 ₺ (£0.41) for 1.5 L at BİM, A101 or Migros, against 30 ₺ for a small bottle in a restaurant.
- Choose a neighbourhood hammam: historic hammams such as Çemberlitaş start at 3,200 ₺ (£47.38) for entry alone. A local hammam costs much less.
- Travel off-season: from November to March flights and hotels fall together (KAYAK medians from London: £96 in January against £262 in August).
Where to sleep in Istanbul on a smaller budget?
My selection by area and by budget, to keep the hotel under control without ending up far from everything:
| Area | Hotel | Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Kadıköy | Small hotels and guesthouses in Kadıköy | Economy |
| Sultanahmet | Small hotels in Sultanahmet (off-season) | Economy |
| Sirkeci | Sirkeci Mansion | Comfort |
| Sultanahmet | Hotel Amira Istanbul | Comfort |
| Kadıköy | DoubleTree by Hilton Istanbul Moda | Comfort |
| Karaköy | 10 Karakoy Istanbul | Treat |
| Beyoğlu | Pera Palace Hotel | Treat |
My pick for the best value: Kadıköy, with the ferry to the old city. The full ranking, category by category, is in my top hotels in Istanbul by area.
My verdict: is Istanbul expensive in 2026?
More than it used to be, but still kinder to the wallet than a UK city break. The trip stays affordable if you live like an Istanbullu; it turns expensive if you stack paid sights, terraces with a view and taxis.
Pros: public transport for under £1, free mosques and bazaars, excellent street food for a few pounds, and ferries that are worth a cruise.
Cons: expensive sights for foreigners, restaurant prices that change several times a year, and taxis that take advantage of tourists.
My favourite moment: a 25 ₺ (£0.37) çay on the back deck of the Kadıköy ferry, when the gulls follow the boat and the Süleymaniye lights up. The best money I spend all day.
FAQ about the cost of a trip to Istanbul
How much should I budget per day in Istanbul?
Allow £37 to £58 per person a day in economy mode, £92 to £137 in comfort and £187 or more in treat mode, accommodation included and flights excluded. These figures use prices collected in late October and early November 2026 and assume a shared double room.
Is Istanbul a cheap holiday?
It costs less than most UK city breaks day to day, but it is no longer a bargain. Public transport is 46.20 ₺ (£0.68) a journey and street food a few pounds, while sights have risen sharply: 2,750 ₺ (£40.71) for Topkapi and £20.82 for Hagia Sophia. Tourist areas often charge double.
How much does a meal cost in Istanbul?
Expect 600 ₺ (£8.88) for a meal in a cheap restaurant and 1,325 ₺ (£19.62) per person for a three-course meal in a mid-range one, drinks not included, according to Numbeo in late October 2026. A döner costs 200 to 650 ₺ (£2.96 to £9.62).
Can you still eat a full meal in a lokanta for £3 to £5?
No. That figure predates the 2025 and 2026 price rises. A soup and a dish of the day in a lokanta now cost over 350 ₺ (£5.18), and Numbeo gives 600 ₺ (£8.88) for a meal in a cheap restaurant on 28 October 2026. Allow at least £5 for the simplest meal.
Does Topkapi Palace cost 2,000 ₺?
No. The combined ticket for the palace, the Harem and Hagia Irene is 2,750 ₺ (£40.71) for a foreign adult, according to millisaraylar.gov.tr checked on 4 November 2026. The 2,000 ₺ often quoted is today’s Dolmabahçe ticket, or an out-of-date Topkapi price.
What is the currency used in Istanbul?
The Turkish lira (₺, TRY). On 4 November 2026 the Central Bank of Türkiye’s selling rate was £1 = 67.5454 ₺. Shops that quote prices in pounds or other foreign currencies use their own rate, usually a poor one, so pay in lira.
Are credit cards widely accepted in Istanbul?
Yes, cards work almost everywhere: hotels, museums, restaurants, supermarkets and even metro turnstiles with contactless Visa, Mastercard or Troy. Keep 500 to 1,000 ₺ (£7.40 to £14.81) in cash for street food, small shops and tips, and ask your bank about foreign transaction fees before you fly.
How much money should I take to Istanbul for 5 days?
In comfort mode, allow about £345 on the ground for 5 days: meals, transport, sights and the airport shuttle (£66.16 a day plus £13.92). Hotel and flights come on top. Pay by card where you can and carry 500 to 1,000 ₺ in cash.
How much does a week in Istanbul cost?
For 7 days and 6 nights in economy mode in January, allow about £419 per person with a London return flight and the airport shuttle. In comfort mode, plan about £823 with a January flight and £989 with an August flight.
Read more
My review and the break-even calculation, sight by sight.
Metro, tram, ferry and taxi: lines and prices.
Weather, crowds and flight prices month by month.
Sources and references
- Milli Saraylar, Topkapi Palace: prices and opening hours, checked on 4 November 2026
- Milli Saraylar, Dolmabahçe Palace: prices and opening hours, checked on 4 November 2026
- Ministry of Culture and Tourism, museum ticket prices (Galata Tower, Maiden’s Tower), checked on 30 October 2026
- İstanbulkart, official price list, checked on 1 November 2026
- Şehir Hatları, ferry fares, checked on 29 October 2026
- Havaist, shuttles from Istanbul Airport, announcement of 29 April 2026, checked on 1 November 2026
- Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (TCMB), exchange rates (pound sterling), bulletin of 4 November 2026
- Numbeo, cost of living in Istanbul (restaurants, beer, water), updated 28 October 2026
- Dünya, average Istanbul hotel price according to TÜROB, article of 2 October 2026
- KAYAK UK, London to Istanbul return fares (medians), checked on 4 November 2026, page of 30 October 2026
- BirGün, Istanbul taxi fares, article of 16 September 2026
- FCDO, Türkiye travel advice: entry requirements, page updated 27 October 2026, checked on 4 November 2026
📢 Kevin’s transparency note: this article contains affiliate links (GetYourGuide, Booking, Uber, Airalo). The price stays the same for you; I earn a small commission that funds these free guides, and my next simit with a çay. Teşekkür ederim! Follow my journeys around Istanbul on Instagram: @kevinloveistanbul.
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