Should you visit Cappadocia or Bodrum?
Should I visit Cappadocia or Bodrum? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is in Central Anatolia, between the mountains Erciyes, Melendiz and Hasan. It is famous for its underground cities, fairy chimneys, and caves. The landscape of the area is some of the most unique you'll ever see. The fairy chimneys are bizarrely shaped rock outcroppings that have evolved from the unique geography in the area. There are hiking trails through the series of valleys that make up the area. It's a great place to explore for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers.
Bodrum
Bodrum is a city on the Bodrum Peninsula, stretching from Turkey's southwest coast into the Aegean Sea. The city features twin bays with views of Bodrum Castle. This medieval fortress was built partly with stones from the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, completed in the 4th century B.C. The city is also a gateway for nearby beach towns and resorts. Although more than a million tourists flock to its beaches, boutique hotels, trendy restaurants, and clubs each summer, the town of Bodrum (ancient Halicarnassus) never seems to lose its cool. More than any other Turkish seaside getaway, it has an enigmatic elegance that pervades it. The evocative castle and the ancient ruins around town also help keep Bodrum a discerning step above the rest.
Which city is cheaper, Bodrum or Cappadocia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cappadocia is $36, while the average daily cost in Bodrum is $36. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Cappadocia and Bodrum in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $24 in Cappadocia For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Travelers usually pay around $24 for a double occupancy room in Bodrum If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Food in Cappadocia costs travelers about $14 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
Bodrum food costs typically run travelers around $24 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Cappadocia $14
Bodrum $24
Typical Food prices in Cappadocia
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cappadocia:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bodrum
For Bodrum, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Bodrum Vineyard Tour with Dinner and Wine Pairing:
$67
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Bodrum Market Visit and Cooking Class:
$103
Local Transportation
To get around in Cappadocia, the average visitor spends $12 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Bodrum than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $0.24 on transportation in Bodrum on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cappadocia
Also for Cappadocia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Cappadocia Private Airport Transfers:
$24
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Shared Airport Transfer Service:
$12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bodrum
Also for Bodrum, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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From All Bodrum Hotels to Dalaman Airport Private Departure Transfer:
$391
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Bodrum Airport to Kusadasi: Airport Transfer:
$121
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Private Airport Round-Trip Transfer: BJV Bodrum Airport to Bodrum City:
$77
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Bodrum Airport Transfers : Bodrum City to Bodrum Airport BJV in Luxury Van:
$58
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Departure Private Transfer from Bodrum City to Bodrum Airport BJV by Minibus:
$53
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Bodrum Private Transfer from Bodrum Peninsula hotels to Bodrum Airport:
$50
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Bodrum Airport Transfers : Bodrum City to Bodrum Airport BJV in Business Car:
$46
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Departure Private Transfer from Bodrum City to Bodrum Airport BJV by Minivan:
$40
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Private Departure Transfer from Bodrum City to BJV Bodrum Airport:
$39
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Private Airport Transfer: Bodrum to Milas Bodrum International Airport (BJV):
$22
Is it cheaper to fly into Cappadocia or Bodrum?
Prices for flights to both Bodrum and Cappadocia change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
In Cappadocia, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $17 per person, per day.
Typical Entertainment prices in Cappadocia
For Cappadocia, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Underground City Entrance for Two
$3.54
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Hot Air Balloon Ride for Two
$68
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Horseback Riding for Two
$14
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Cappadocia Driving Tour
$14
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Goreme Museum Entrance Fee
$1.77
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Whirling Dervishes Show
$12
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Turkish Bath
$8.26
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Hot air ballooning
$48
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Goreme open air museum
$2.36
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Bellydancing Show
$15
Tours and Activities in Cappadocia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cappadocia.
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Cappadocia Day Tour:
$61
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Cappadocia Heritage 1 Day Private Tour:
$545
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Cappadocia Highlights Small-Group Tour by Minibus:
$61
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Cappadocia Highlights Tour with Lunch:
$18
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Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Flight and Full-Day Tour:
$184
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Cappadocia Tour: 2-Day Discovery Tour from Istanbul:
$387
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Cappadocia Tour: Underground City, Caravanserai & Salt Lake:
$72
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Customizable Private Tour in a Minivan:
$205
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Full Day Private Tour with Japanese Guide:
$53
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Full-Day Highlights Tour:
$28
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Full-Day Private Custom Tour:
$58
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Full-Day Private Discovery of Anatolian Art Tour:
$69
Tours and Activities in Bodrum
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Bodrum.
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7-Night Bodrum Peninsula and Greek Islands Yacht Cruise from Bodrum:
$733
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7-Night Gulet Cruise from Gulf of Gökova:
$361
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7-Night Turkish Coast Cruise from Bodrum:
$396
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Aqua Park Tour from Bodrum - BOD15:
$75
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Blue cruise around Bodrum bays:
$22
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Bodrum City Walking Sightseeing - Late afternoon:
$137
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Bodrum Cruise Excursion - Bodrum City Tour:
$205
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Bodrum Like a Local: Customized Private Tour:
$42
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Bodrum Private Tours:
$65
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Bodrum Sightseeing & Relaxation Yacht Cabin Charter:
$616
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Daily Boat Tour (Orak Island) around Bodrum and Black Island Coves:
$31
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From Full-Day Tour to Ephesus:
$73
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Cappadocia, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $13.
Sample the Local Flavors in Cappadocia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cappadocia:
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Private Half-Day Vineyards & Wine Tasting Tour:
$79
When comparing the travel costs between Cappadocia and Bodrum, we can see that Cappadocia is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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