Prices in ISTANBUL, TURKEY Right NOW 2025

Istanbul was the world's second most visited city last year. 23 million people came through. It connects Europe and Asia. It's full of everyday scenes that feel like a movie. Ferry rides, street cats, arctic cafes and golden sunsets over the Bosphorus. Take the ferry from Europe to Asia and you'll start wondering how to stay there forever. However, what if there are protests? What if you're jet-lagged and can't face the chaos of Istiklal Street again? Maybe you've heard about scams, inflation and prices that don't make sense anymore? Istanbul can feel overwhelming. Unless you know where to go. I've lived here on and off for almost a year, mostly on the Asian side where tourists rarely go. And that's exactly why you should. I'm going to show you why you might want to extend that layover to see Istanbul the way locals do. You'll see the neighborhood where you can feel like a local and not like a target. Also apartment where we stayed, my favorite spots for seaside walks, local shopping and what things really cost right now in Turkey. I'll share an efficient way to get from the airport to city and back that's as comfortable as a taxi but there's a guarantee you won't be overcharged. This time we traveled from Sofia to Bangkok, spent a holiday in Japan, a couple of days in Seoul and now are heading home via Istanbul. The city has always been a great connecting point between Asia and Europe but is now a good time to visit? The best times to be in Istanbul are from March to May and September to November. That's when the crowds at the main attractions are manageable, hotel prices are average and daytime temperatures usually sit around 16 to 25 degrees Celsius. Recently there have been ongoing protests on the European side near Taksim. However we stayed on the Asian side in Kadikoy where I lived for about three months some years ago. Public transport was running and all the restaurants, markets and shops were open. Everything was functioning as usual. We didn't see no protests or any kind of public unrest on the Asian side. And actually whenever a friend asks me for a vibrant historic neighborhood, well-connected, not overly touristy, with plenty of places to go and to shop, I always recommend Kadikoy. You won't find much luxury here but it's a great place to feel part of real working city with a lot of character. Not like the old city where it can feel like everyone's trying to take advantage of you just for being a tourist. Our first day in Kadikoy was cloudy but the warmth of the air made for a perfect slow walk along the seaside. And to get over jet lag, six hour time difference for us, we wandered through the moda quarter taking our time as ferries passed by. The atmosphere was very calm and this is a side of Istanbul that invites you to slow down and just enjoy the moment. From this part of town you can also enjoy the view of Adalar or the princess islands in the distance. It's easy to hop on a boat from Kadikoy and reach the islands which have rich history. They were once a retreat for Byzantine elite and later Ottoman royalty. We've been to Adalar twice on past trips and it's a great way to escape the city for a day and experience a quieter more scenic side of Istanbul. Not every meal in Turkey has to be a kebab. So what can you eat instead? Here's a look at a few eating out options in Istanbul and how much it will cost you right now. We were surprised to be honest and not in a good way. For a quick and affordable snack, the food court in the shopping mall offers traditional Turkish pizza, pide. It's a very satisfying and easy option. If you're after something more filling, you can find restaurants serving home-like food. It's a bit more pricey than the fast food but definitely worth it if you don't want to eat fast food for every single meal. Or you can opt in for a sit-down restaurant that offers more variety of traditional meals. For example, here we ate tavuk şiş, grilled chicken. It's a typical Turkish dish and definitely a safe choice when you don't know what to order. This restaurant used to be our go-to spot for dinner dates when we lived in Antalya for a year and we thought it would be a perfect place to celebrate the end of our trip to Asia which included visits to Thailand, Japan and South Korea. We opted for a chicken dish and a beef bowl followed by some coffee. What surprised us however was that the service charge was already included in the bill. Back when we lived in Antalya it was always optional and you could leave a tip directly with the waiter and when it's included in the bill I don't even really know if any of it is going to the waiter. Our total cost at this restaurant now felt more in line with Western European prices. So what would you say? How does it compare to prices in restaurants where you live? Do you think groceries in Istanbul are cheap? It always depends on what you're used to. So let me know in the comments if the prices will surprise you. If you're looking to shop local head to Kadikoy's market for fresh fruits, veggies and cheeses. Need to grab something quick? There is a grocery store on almost every corner. One's super affordable but let's see how prices stack up now. The shops still have an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables as expected and next to that you'll find the alcohol section with FS beer and traditional raki. Turkish liquor being the most popular choices. Wine as usual remains on the expensive side. Turkey offers a great variety of fresh young cheeses at reasonable prices. Also chicken and meat are available. And let me show you some of the everyday items you might want to grab in the shop as well. Every restaurant we went to as well as some more recommendations in Kadikoy together with the recommended accommodations and everything else mentioned in this video will be in the mini guide. Check out the link in the description. After traveling Japan for two weeks we started to miss on home-cooked meals and the first thing we did in Istanbul is we went grocery shopping and this water was 20 Turkish lira, the five liter and the rest amounts to a thousand Turkish lira. We got chicken breast, we got two packages of havda cheese, some margarine, deodorant of course, it's getting hot, some ham, a small package, this is dates, gluten-free pasta, some greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, mandarin, kiwis. So yeah all in all in Turkish lira of course we are shocked at prices but if you convert them to euros it is still relatively affordable. And nothing beats a comforting home-cooked meal after a busy day and we were happy our apart hotel had a kitchen. This is our apartment in Istanbul this time and we chose to stay here on Asian side versus the European side that more tourists do because it's not our first rodeo with Istanbul. We've been here already many times and I lived here some years before so you know when you know everything you don't have to think much about public transport, how things work, where to change money, you already know all that. So that was a really good in-between hub for us between Asia and coming back to Sofia. And it was a bit hard to find something in good shape in this neighborhood in Kadikoy because basically here is one big hotel but we wanted an apart hotel or an Airbnb. It's a one plus one meaning here is the living room combined with a mini kitchen and there is a bedroom. It's relatively spacious, definitely more spacious than we had back in Japan and for its money I think it's a really good find because here in Turkey the prices are going higher and higher. With apart hotels and Airbnbs you just never know what is wrong there and even for a relatively high price tag of 100 a night it still can be not as great as you think. So this was around 75 a night which is I think a good deal in the current situation, in the current economy. I think people who don't like Turkey and who say I will never go back, they just stay in the old city and they never see other parts. But because I lived here I knew which places feel more like home where we could relax before we go back to Sofia. This neighborhood can be a good option and I would definitely recommend it if you don't want to be in a very touristy area but you still want to be somewhere where you have access to public transport, to the boats, to nice restaurants, trendy coffee shops because this is a very student area. Don't expect here to see the real real local Turkey because here many students come as I said, many tourists still come, there is a big market, there is hustle and bustle, all the restaurants, bars, coffee shops. So it's not exactly the real residential area but it's good because you have the option to use the public transport, you don't need to travel too far to go out but at the same time you're not in the old city where everyone is basically trying to rip you off. If you want to stay here too I created a mini guide for you with all the transportation tips, some apartments including these ones and hotels, some local restaurants, some shopping opportunities, where to change money and where to go for a nice walk along the Bosphorus. Check out the link in the description. And right through here we can already see the bathroom and this is the bedroom. The bathroom has everything you might need. It has a washing machine for your clothes, the shower is closing and it's not leaking. That can be sometimes a problem in Turkey and in other countries. This is not a Turkey specific problem. So that is one of the advantages of this apartment I would say, one of the main features is the bed is comfortable and the pillows are also comfortable. It's quite soft and it's a good size. Again very important if you're in a layover and you need some rest and there is a heater in this room. So if you're coming in a colder season you will not freeze. Another thing that's important is who is managing the apartment and here there is a manager. He's sitting downstairs. He can help you with everything. He's available via WhatsApp. He doesn't speak English but he knows how to communicate via Google Translate. So, so far whatever we needed like tablets for a dishwasher for example, he provided it to us like right away. I asked for extra pillow, he also provided it. So, so far he's been very friendly, very helpful. He is always smiling. He is always ready to help. Strategic location in Istanbul is everything. The city is so big. If you choose wrong you'll spend hours in traffic and will have a high chance being scammed by a taxi driver. Our apartment was perfectly located. Just a short walk to the metro, the airport shuttle stop and ferry terminals and within 15 minute walk there was a mall with both Turkish and international brands. Even better the Marmaray station was across from the mall. This cross-continental train under the Bosphorus makes it very easy to Imagine sipping tea on the rocks by the sea, strolling through quiet streets of residential neighborhoods and wandering inside yet another specialty coffee shop all within a stone's throw from your apartment. Welcome to the best part of Kadıköy that I can't really call hidden but for sure most of the guests of Istanbul never go here. One of the absolute best things to do in Kadıköy and it won't cost you anything is just to walk along the seaside. The Asian side of Istanbul has a long peaceful stretch of coastline much calmer than what you'll find across the Bosphorus. You can wander through the modern neighborhood or head further down using Marmaray to reach lesser known parks that offer stunning views. These are the places where locals actually spend their evenings and weekends. Not packed with tourists just real life unfolding around you. You can easily get a one-way Marmaray ticket with a credit card right at the station. No transit card needed. The Asian side feels more laid-back almost like a local secret where life slows down just a bit. It's where the city breathes. I bet you remember the feeling. You've just landed tired and jet-lagged trying to get to your hotel as fast as possible but instead you're bracing for the inevitable. Will the taxi rip me off? In Istanbul this concern is very real. Between unclear pricing, long routes and unofficial drivers many travelers leave the airport already frustrated. But there is a better way. Istanbul has two airports. New Istanbul airport on the European side for long-haul flights and Sabiha airport on the Asian side for regional routes. Getting in and out by metro is an option but with luggage? Not ideal. Taxis are an option but trust me they are risky. I recommend you skip the hustle and go for the Havaist buses. They are reliable, fixed price and stress-free. They are my go-to every time I visit Istanbul. Big luggage is also not a problem. The bus has storage section. Once you get through customs at the airport get ready for typical airport markup. It was quite busy when we were there and the prices reflected that. A small bottle of water? 35 Turkish lira at the least. A sandwich and a coffee? Around 500 Turkish lira.