Is Türkiye Still Affordable for Budget Travellers?
Türkiye used to be one of Asia’s most popular destinations for budget travellers, but rampant inflation over the past five years has pushed prices to levels that are now comparable to countries like Qatar in the Middle East.
In 2021 inflation rose to 20 percent per annum and in 2022 it jumped to over 85 percent and then continued at 55-75 percent for most of 2023 and 2024 before declining to around 35 per cent in 2025. This meant that in just five years, prices of some commodities increased by up to eight times.
In most countries it is common at the start of each tourist season for restaurants, cafés, accommodation and tourism service providers to increase their prices, but in Türkiye businesses were having to increase their prices every month in order to survive.
In 2020 a cappuccino could be purchased in Istanbul for 35-50 Turkish lira but today (October 2025) the same coffee is costing visitors 180-245 Turkish lira. For budget travellers visiting the city after a five-year break, the price shocks can be considerable.
A small cortado in Istanbul costing 245 Turkish lira.
Does this mean that Türkiye is no longer a viable option for budget travellers? Fortunately, accommodation prices haven’t increased as much as other commodities and a lot depends on where you are coming from. Travellers used to European prices may still find Türkiye affordable.
The second most popular destination for budget travellers in Asia is Thailand, so let’s compare how Türkiye prices stack up against Thailand now.
Five years ago, Türkiye 3- and 4-star accommodation prices were 30-40 percent below Thailand prices. Today they are about the same. Car rental prices in Türkiye were about 20 percent less than Thailand in 2020, but now they are 20 percent more. Fuel is one of the commodities that has risen in price eight times. In 2020 petrol was 7 Turkish lira per litre. Today it is 53 lira – 20 percent more than Thailand.
Food and beverages will be the main area where most travellers will experience price shocks. A meal at a waterfront restaurant at Bodrum on the Turkish Riviera will be double what a comparable meal at a beachfront restaurant in Phuket (Thailand’s most expensive province) would cost. Beverages in Turkish tourist areas are three times Thailand prices and cocktails seven times Thailand prices.
Eating at Turkish waterfront restaurants is expensive.
However, by having meals away from the main tourist areas and eating at local restaurants (where the food quality is generally good) it is possible to find prices that are comparable to Thailand. Roadside restaurants in particular offer good value.
If driving in Türkiye, the convenience stores at major service stations are a good place to stock up on sandwiches for lunch, snack foods and drinks, all at reasonable prices.
For those who may not wish to drive themselves, Türkiye has a good network of long-distance bus services and those are still affordable compared to other countries.
The biggest price shocks for budget travellers in Türkiye may not be food and beverage costs, but the entry fees to attractions like museums, ancient ruins, national parks and even some beaches. Don’t be deceived by the low ticket prices listed in Turkish lira on Google Maps. Those are the entry prices for Turkish citizens. Foreigners pay a much higher price in euros.
Foreigners pay much higher entry fees than locals.
Entry prices generally range from 20 to 50 euros with the average being around 30-35 euros. This means that a traveller visiting 3-4 attractions in a day could well pay more for just those entry tickets than for their daily bill for accommodation and meals.
Türkiye is not the only country to have different entry fees for locals and tourists (Thailand does too) but the magnitude of the difference between the two pricing models is much greater in Türkiye than in other Asian countries.
Whilst Türkiye is undoubtedly moving away from being an affordable destination, it is still possible for the budget traveller to visit the country without breaking the bank. The Turkish government says it wants to bring inflation down to single digits by 2027, but many economists believe that won’t be achieved until 2030.
Therefore, it may be wise to visit Türkiye sooner rather than later because prices are still going to be increasing for a few years yet.
Local roadside restaurants still offer good value.
For first-time travellers to Türkiye, an important money-saving tip: Do not rely on withdrawing cash from ATMs during your visit. Turkish ATMs only permit small withdrawals on foreign cards (sometimes as low as 8,000 lira) and charge a 9-12 percent commission on the withdrawals.
Instead bring euros. They are widely accepted in tourist areas and can be easily changed into Turkish lira at exchange offices in major cities. But do not use the exchange booths at Istanbul airport. Their rates are appalling – about 30-35 percent lower than the rates in the cities.
Images: © David Astley
