Istanbul ” Low Cost ” – How we spent 650 € two people for 6 days all-inclusive
We decided to make this article because we found Istanbul a particularly cheap city, especially given the overall experience we had here and the money we spent.
In total we had 5 nights and 6 days in Istanbul, and the total amount we spent on the trip, including all expenses, from flights, accommodation, transport, food, museums .. did not exceed € 650, two people (€ 325 per person ).
First of all we have to say that obviously we always look for the option more in account but with quality, this together with a relatively cheap ticket (160 € round trip) and travel in the low season, made that we could spend so little on this trip.
During any trip the total budget always ends up being spent in five large areas, which are: food, hotel, flight, tourist attractions and in ” others ” that is all that is on the level of visas, transport. ..
Let’s talk about how much money we spent in each of these areas, always priced for two people.
Flights - 320 €
The price of Flights was one of the main reasons that made us spend so little on this trip, because we get prices even in account, 160 € per person round trip with taxes included.
We bought the tickets about 2 months earlier (we traveled in December) at KLM, with a 3 hour stopover in Paris.
These prices are not always easy to find (we got to see the same tickets at 140 €), but usually with a little flexibility of dates it is possible to find tickets between 200 € / 250 without big problem.
Food - 120€
The food in Istanbul is very cheap and of good quality / quantity. When we left Portugal we thought of making some more ‘low-cost’ meals like sandwiches and that, but we ended up eating out every day because the prices were really affordable.
We ended up spending € 120 for the 6 days and always ate for less than € 20 each.
Every time we ate, it was always in restaurants and on average we spent € 10 per meal (both).
Prices are always a bit negotiable, especially in the more touristy areas, and at all meals the bread and water is free.
The cheapest meal we ate was 2 kebab’s and two drinks for 3 €! Which is really very cheap.
some of the dishes we ate in Istanbul
HOTEL -100 €
At the Accommodation level we stayed in the Bachos Hotel, a friendly hotel 2 minutes from the Blue Mosque, where we paid € 100 two people for five nights with breakfast included.
Although at the price level, especially at Booking there may always be changes (at this time this hotel is 240 € the same number of nights), it is possible to find cheap hotels right in the center of the city with good ratings.
However, we should not go with very high expectations, especially in terms of the quality of finishing of the rooms and small things, in the hotels at cheaper prices, but at least for us the accommodation just needs to be cleaned with bathroom , near the center and with the minimum of conditions, especially in ‘low-cost’ trips and with a strong cultural part, where the accommodation is just a ‘detail’.
Tourist attractions - 47€
Istanbul is a city with an immense historical wealth and nowadays offers its visitors a thousand and one attractions, many of them free, like all mosques, and others to pay such as the many museums and palaces scattered throughout the city.
A great way to save some money is to buy the Museum Pass.
The Museum Pass of Istanbul is a card that gives entrance to some of the main monuments of Istanbul and that allows the saving of some money compared to the value of the entrance of the monuments, buying separately.
Price: 85 TL (19 €) DEC 2017
Duration: 5 days after first use
Where to buy :
- Hagia Sophia Museum
- İstanbul Archaeological Museums
- İstanbul Mosaic Museum
- Chora Museum
- Topkapı Palace Museum
- Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
Free entrance to the following monuments:
- Hagia Sophia Museum
- Topkapı Palace Museum and Harem Apartments
- Istanbul Archaeological Museums
- Istanbul Mosaic Museum
- Museum of Turkish and İslamic Arts
- Museum for the History of Science and Technology in Islam
- Chora Museum
- Galata Mevlevi House Museum
- Yıldız Palace
- Rumeli Hisar Museum
- Fethiye Museum
some of the main attractions we visited
Others 64 €
Lastly, on the ” Other ” heading where the visas are (€ 36) and transport (to and from the airport and ferries), where we spent € 54 total.
flight 320 € + accommodation 100 € + food 130 € + attractions 47 € + other 54 € = 649 €
Istanbul is undoubtedly a great option for anyone who wants to take a trip to a different destination, at a great price.
It is difficult to spend less than this for any European city if we include the flights and all the expenses that a trip represents.
Finally, suffice it to say that we do not include the money spent on memories, which is at the discretion of each one.
History of Istanbul – The Capital of Two Empires
'' Istanbul, ancient Constantinople and Byzantium is a city with almost a unique history in the world, was once the capital of two empires, the Byzantine and Ottoman, and during the two was also the capital of their respective religions, the Christian Orthodox Church and the Islam...''
10 Unique experiences to live in Istanbul
''Istanbul is a city that offers a thousand and one experiences to its visitors, we leave here the 10 that marked us the most...''
Istanbul – What to do in 3 days (with city map)
''Istanbul is a city that needs a lot more than 3 days to get to know it, and even with 6 days, which was the days we stayed, it is possible to truly know it....''
Help us to travel more 🙂
Do you want to help keep the site up and contributing to our travel passion? Use one of the links below to make your reservations. For you there is no cost and we received a small commission. Thank you very much.
- Reservation of accommodation through Booking —-> Click here !
- Booking through Airbnb (30 € discount – new users) —-> Click here !
- Buy tickets for monuments and experiences through the Get Your Guide —> Click here !
Other Articles