The average price of a 7-day trip to Istanbul is $1,123 for a solo traveler, $2,017 for a couple, and $3,781 for a family of 4. Istanbul hotels range from $36 to $122 per night with an average of $65, while most vacation rentals will cost $130 to $380 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Ataturk Airport (IST) are between $673 and $925 per person for economy flights and $2,112 to $2,903 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $24 to $66 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Istanbul, TR
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to IST and stay in a Istanbul hotel:
- January 8th to March 25th
- September 3rd to December 16th
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Istanbul is usually late January and early February.
Average Istanbul Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Istanbul for a week is $795-$1,665($114-$238 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $24 to $66 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $357 to $777 for economy
Lodging: $45 to $54 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $58 to $71 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Istanbul for a week is $1,952-$3,200($279-$457 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $48 to $132 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $714 to $1,554 for economy
Lodging: $45 to $54 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $58 to $71 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Istanbul for a week is $2,586-$5,604($369-$801 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $96 to $264 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,428 to $3,108 for economy
Lodging: $90 to $108 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $81 to $107 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Istanbul
How cheap can you make a vacation to Istanbul? The cheapest trip to Istanbul is about $83 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 1% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $21 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $32.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Istanbul for a week is $581-$1,272($83-$182 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $14 to $27 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $357 to $777 for economy
Lodging: $32 to $36 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $21 to $51 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Istanbul for a week is $1,036-$2,238($148-$320 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $28 to $54 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $714 to $1,554 for economy
Lodging: $32 to $36 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $21 to $51 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Istanbul for a week is $1,994-$4,356($285-$622 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $56 to $108 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,428 to $3,108 for economy
Lodging: $64 to $72 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $29 to $82 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is easy to travel to Istanbul cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Istanbul Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Istanbul.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Istanbul for a week is $1,774-$7,670($253-$1,096 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $43 to $132 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,035 to $1,958 for first class
Lodging: $73 to $122 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $380 to $798 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Istanbul for a week is $3,110-$10,552($444-$1,507 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $86 to $264 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,070 to $3,916 for first class
Lodging: $73 to $122 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $380 to $798 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Istanbul for a week is $6,220-$19,190($889-$2,741 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $172 to $528 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $4,140 to $7,832 for first class
Lodging: $146 to $244 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $570 to $1,277 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Istanbul Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Istanbul is lower than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Istanbul due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Istanbul Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Istanbul hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Istanbul.
Flight Costs to Istanbul
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $925 average in early August to a low of $673 in late January and early February. Median flight price is $683. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Istanbul our data includes 494 originating airports, and 197 airlines. The area has average variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Istanbul from an airport like Savoonga (SVA) in Savoonga, AK (the United States) for an average $6,915 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Zafer (KZR) in Kutahya (Turkey) at an average of just $40.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Istanbul, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $253, so you can easily save about 38% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Istanbul can easily cost $210 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $14 per person. Private tours can cost $411 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.