Which place is cheaper, Istanbul or Cappadocia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Cappadocia or Istanbul?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cappadocia or Istanbul? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Cappadocia or Istanbul?
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.
Istanbul
Istanbul is strategically located on the Bosphorus and is split between Europe and Asia. It truly is a city where east meets west. Istanbul is the cultural and financial hub of Turkey, and also the most populous city. The sites are countless and there's something for everybody, whether you're interested in art, music, food, or adventure. You can pass many days exploring both the residential and commercial pockets of this city. Much of the appeal is hidden away along back alleys or within corner shops.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Istanbul, The Best 2-Week Tours from Istanbul, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Antalya, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Turkey.
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Cappadocia Prices
Turkey PricesIstanbul Prices
Turkey Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCappadocia $157Istanbul $192
The average daily cost (per person) in Cappadocia is $157, while the average daily cost in Istanbul is $192. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Cappadocia and Istanbul in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCappadocia $44Istanbul $89
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCappadocia $88Istanbul $178
Compare Hotels in Cappadocia and Istanbul
Looking for a hotel in Cappadocia or Istanbul? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Cappadocia Hotel Prices and Istanbul Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cappadocia $43Istanbul $42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cappadocia
Also for Cappadocia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Cappadocia Shared Transfer From/To Nevsehir and Kayseri Airport: $4.58
- Cappadocia Shared Transfer From/To Kayseri or Nevşehir Airport: $5.00
- Cappadocia Shared Transfer From/To Nevşehir or Kayseri Airport: $10
- Cappadocia Shared Transfer From/To Kayseri and Nevşehir Airport: $10
- Cappadocia ATV tour with transfer and guide : $13
- Cappadocia Shared Transfer From/To Kayseri and Nevşehir Airport: $15
- Cappadocia Shared Airport Transfer : $16
- Cappadocia Shuttle Transfer from Nevsehir Airport: $16
- 2 Hour Jeep Safari Tour in Cappadocia ( Transfer Include ): $17
- Whirling Dervishes Show in Cappadocia w/ Free Hotel Transfer: $20
- Nevsehir Airport: Shared Transfer to Cappadocia Hotel: $23
- Shuttle Transfer from Cappadocia hotels to "Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport": $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Private Cultural Tours, Hotel Transfers Including: $299
- Miniatürk Istanbul Private Guided Tour & Optional Transfers: $236
- Istanbul Airport Transfer: Istanbul to Sabiha Airport SAW in Luxury Car: $233
- Istanbul Airport Transfer: Sabiha Airport SAW to Istanbul in Luxury Car: $233
- Istanbul Airport Transfer: Istanbul to New Airport IST in Luxury Car: $233
- Istanbul Airport Transfer: New Airport IST to Istanbul in Luxury Car: $233
- Istanbul Airport to Sabiha Airport Private Transfer or Vice Versa (1-13pax): $228
- Istanbul Airport to Sabiha Airport Private Transfer or Vice Versa (1-10pax): $220
- Istanbul Old City Private Tour With Professional Guide & Transfer: $218
- First Class Business Sedan Airport Transfer Services in Istanbul: $199
- Istanbul Layover Tour: Private & Personalized with Transfers: $186
- Private Transfer from Sabiha Gökcen Airport (SAW) to Istanbul Airport (IST) : $181
Is it cheaper to fly into Cappadocia or Istanbul?
Prices for flights to both Istanbul 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayCappadocia $72Istanbul $71
Typical Food Prices in Cappadocia
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cappadocia:
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Cookies$0.03
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cappadocia
For Cappadocia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cappadocia Turkish Night With Unlimited Drinks And Dinner: $30
- Cappadocia traditional cooking with Chef: $35
- Cappadocia Cave Restaurant for Dinner and Turkish Entertainments: $52
- Cappadocia Traditional Turkish Night Show and Dinner : $56
- Turkish night show with dinner and unlimited free alcohol: $58
- Cappadocia Turkish Night With Dinner + Drinks (Include Transfer): $63
- Cappadocia Turkish Night with Dinner and Cultural Show: $65
- Turkish Night Unlimited Drinks & Dinner in Cappadocia: $66
- Romantic Cappadocia Private Sunset Dinner With Wild Food : $66
- Turkish Night with Dinner and Unlimited Drinks İn the Rock Cave: $73
- Cappadocia Night: Turkish Dance & Dinner : $75
- Cappadocia Turkish Night Show with Dinner and Entertainments: $76
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Istanbul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Istanbul.
- İstanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Night Show : $19
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Tour With Turkish Night Show: $22
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Live Performance: $28
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Folklore Show & Belly Dancers: $32
- Istanbul Turkish Coffee Cooking and Tasting with Locals at Home: $33
- 3 Hour Ottoman Dinner Cruise in Istanbul : $34
- Half Day Sunset Luxury Yacht Dinner Cruise Tour in Istanbul: $34
- Bosphorus Night Cruise with Dinner, Show and Private Table: $35
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Hotel Transfer: $36
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Dance Shows with Private Table: $36
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Night Show: $37
- Bosphorus Night Cruise with Dinner, Shows and Party : $38
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cappadocia $80Istanbul $46
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$0.78
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Hot Air Balloon Ride for Two$15
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Horseback Riding for Two$2.97
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Cappadocia Driving Tour$3.16
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Goreme Museum Entrance Fee$0.39
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Whirling Dervishes Show$2.59
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Turkish Bath$1.81
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Hot air ballooning$10
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Goreme open air museum$0.52
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Bellydancing Show$3.36
Tours and Activities in Cappadocia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cappadocia.
- Skip the Line: Guray Museum Admission Ticket: $4.58
- Cappadocia ATV Experience: $13
- Horseback Riding Experience in Beautiful Valleys of Cappadocia: $16
- Full day Cappadocia Red Tour ( Lunch + Museum Tickets ): $17
- Exclusive Pottery Shop Tour: $17
- ATV Quad Tour in Cappadocia: $17
- Mysterious ATV Adventures in Cappadocia: $18
- Private Cappadocia Tour with Underground City (Guide & Driver): $18
- Full Day Private Cappadocia Tour with Car and Guide: $19
- Cappadocia Authentic Pottery Workshop Experience: $20
- Cappadocia ATV Tour (1 or 2 Hour Option): $21
- Private or Small Group Cappadocia Day Tour : $21
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- 4 Hours Private Highlights Tour Of Istanbul: $284
- Bosphorus Morning or Sunset Guided Cruise Tour: $23
- Full Day Guided Tour in Istanbul (SL-9): $135
- Full Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour From Hotel or Cruise Ships: $50
- Full day old city tour (LT1): $170
- Hagia Sophia Private Tour - Skip the Ticket Line : $70
- Hippodrome and Blue Mosque Guided Tour: $9.10
- Istanbul Customized Daily Tour: $200
- Istanbul Half Day City Tour (Ottoman Relics): $90
- Sultanahmet Night Tour : $130
- "Walk Through History: A Bespoke Istanbul Adventure": $149
- 1 Istanbul Tour: Highlights, Street Food & Hidden Pearls: $273
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCappadocia $15Istanbul $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Cappadocia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cappadocia:
- Signature Local Wine Tasting in Cappadocia: $12
- Wine tasting in Cappadocia: $68
- SKIP-THE-LINE: Cappadocia Tour w/wine tasting and clay shaping : $90
- Cappadocia Private Wine Tasting Tour : $115
- Cappadocia Private Tour-Mixed Tour+Home-made Wine Tasting: $178
- Wine Tasting and Sunset in Cappadocia: $206
- Ancient Cappadocia's Wine Tasting - Private Tour: $275
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Famous Istanbul Pub Crawl #1 Nightlife Experience: $28
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $78
- Wine Tasting Experience in Istanbul : $95
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries : $199
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cappadocia and Istanbul, we can see that Istanbul is more expensive. And not only is Cappadocia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cappadocia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cappadocia and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Istanbul would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Istanbul than you might in Cappadocia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cappadocia Expensive? and Is Istanbul Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cappadocia or Istanbul?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 1760 times larger than the population of Cappadocia. When comparing the sizes of Cappadocia and Istanbul, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.