Which place is cheaper, Istanbul or Doha?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Doha or Istanbul?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Doha and Istanbul can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Doha or Istanbul?
Doha
Doha is the capital city of Qatar, modern and rapidly developing with much construction underway. It is home to Doha International Airport, the main point of entry for Qatar, as well as many of the country's best museums and examples of cultural heritage.
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 Budget Tours to Turkey, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDoha $200Istanbul $126
The average daily cost (per person) in Doha is $200, while the average daily cost in Istanbul is $126. 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 Doha and Istanbul in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDoha $119Istanbul $47
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDoha $238Istanbul $94
Compare Hotels in Doha and Istanbul
Looking for a hotel in Doha 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: Doha Hotel Prices and Istanbul Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Doha $23Istanbul $55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Doha
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Doha:
- Shared Departure Transfer from Doha: $14
- Shared Arrival Transfer - Doha City: $14
- Sharing Arrival Transfer - Doha city: $14
- Sharing Arrival Transfer - West bay: $20
- Shared Departure Transfer in West Bay : $20
- Shared Departure Transfer in West Bay: $20
- Shared Departure Transfer - Pearl Qatar: $27
- Sharing Arrival Transfer - Pearl Qatar: $27
- Easy Airport Transfers (Airport to Hotel): $30
- Airport Transfer-Hamad International Airport, Doha-Qatar: $34
- Airport Transfer (To and From Doha City): $35
- Doha Airport Transfers: Your Swift Gateway to Luxury Travel: $50
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Istanbul are as follows:
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Ferry$0.09
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Local Bus$0.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Airport Transfer by Private Minivan + Meet & Greet Service: $85
- Istanbul Cruise Port(Galataport) Private Transfer Service: $35
- Private Airport Transfer in Istanbul: $109
- Saw Sabiha Gokcen Airport Transfers for Old City & Taksim Hotels: $54
- 1-Way Private Transfer to/from Sabiha Gokcen Airport: $75
- Airport - Otel Transfer and City Tours: $20
- Airport Istanbul Private Transfer IST or SAW Airport : $34
- Airport Transfer: $58
- Arrival Private Transfer IST or SAW Airport to Istambul, Levent or Taksim by Bus: $65
- Arrival Private Transfer: New Airport IST to Istanbul in Business Car: $54
- Best VIP Istanbul Luxury Transfer: $65
- Bursa Uludağ Mountain Tour From Istanbul w/Lunch & Hotel Transfer: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Doha or Istanbul?
Prices for flights to both Istanbul and Doha 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 dayDoha $61Istanbul $31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Doha
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Doha.
- Private Dinner on Al Safliya Island: $76
- Half Day Doha City Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $143
- BBQ Dinner in the desert resort; Dune bashing & camel ride: $165
- Full Day Desert Safari with Camp Access, Buffet Dinner,Camel Ride: $195
- Doha : Full Day Desert Safari | BBQ Dinner | Inland sea: $197
- Private Desert Safari with BBQ Lunch/Dinner at Souk Al Wakra: $202
- Private Overnight Desert Safari, Dune bashing, dinner & Breakfast: $220
- Full Day Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner: $234
- From Overnight Desert Safari with BBQ Dinner: $240
Typical Food Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of dining costs in Istanbul are as follows:
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Juice$0.06
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Turkish Delight$0.02
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Dessert$0.26
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Pastries$0.05
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Istanbul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Istanbul.
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Night Show from Istanbul: $16
- Dinner Cruise and Entertainment with Private Table: $17
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show with Private Table: $17
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Tour With Turkish Night Show: $21
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise , Unlimited Drinks, & Show: $21
- Bosphorus Luxury Catamaran Cruise with Dinner Show: $25
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise and Turkish Night Show: $26
- Bosphorus Boat Cruise with Dinner & Entertainment: $27
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Unlimited Drinks and Shows: $28
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise: $28
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise and Turkish Night Show: $28
- 3 Hour Ottoman Dinner Cruise in Istanbul : $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Doha $18Istanbul $79
Tours and Activities in Doha
Here are a few actual costs in Doha for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Doha International Airpor: Qatar eSIM Data Plan for Tourists: $7.99
- Qatar eSIM Data Plan for Tourists: $7.99
- Al Safliya Island Boat Tour: $25
- Guided Walking Tour of Souq Waqif: $30
- City Highlights Layover Tour: $32
- From Doha Cruise Terminal: Doha City Tour (Private Tour): $35
- Sharing City Tour From MSC Virtuosa/Mein Schiff2: $35
- Doha Geocaching & City Tour Combo: $35
- From Doha Cruise Terminal: Doha Private or Group City Tour: $35
- 4-hour Downtown City Tour: $40
- Doha : Private Custom Walking Tour with A Guide (Private Tou: $43
- Doha City Tour - Airport or Cruise Terminal Pick Up/Drop Off: $43
Typical Entertainment Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Istanbul are as follows:
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Bosphurus Boat (for 2)$0.62
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Yerebatan Cistern for Two$0.62
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Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts for Two$0.31
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Hagia Sofia entrance$0.93
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.20
- City Tour with Audio Guide in your smartphone: $5.33
- Hagia Sophia Exclusive Digital Audio Guided Tour: $5.33
- Highlights Self Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.33
- Istanbul Sites: Peel back the layers of Turkish history a self-guided audio tour: $5.40
- Self Guided City Audio Tour of Istanbul: $5.44
- Kadikoy's history, theatres and sweet shops: a self-guided audio tour: $5.99
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.39
- Istanbul Outdoor Escape Game: The Royal Adventure: $7.06
- Istanbul in a day: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in English: $7.81
- Istanbul Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- App self-guided tours Istanbul with multilingual audioguide: $9.59
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDoha $15Istanbul $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Pub Crawl Big Nightout . Rooftop parties,party Bus & Nightlife: $22
- Istanbul 7-Hour Pub Crawl: Big Night Out: $27
- Party Pub Crawl with Party Bus: $29
- Wine Tasting Experience in Istanbul : $45
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $83
- 2-Day Wine Tasting Tour along the Thracian Wine Route: $180
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries : $245
- Istanbul Private and Guided, Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $430
- Luxury Wine Tasting on a Private Yacht: $841
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Doha and Istanbul, we can see that Doha is more expensive. And not only is Istanbul much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Doha is in Middle East and Istanbul is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Istanbul would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Istanbul 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 Doha would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Doha than you might in Istanbul.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Doha Expensive? and Is Istanbul Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Doha or Istanbul?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Doha. When comparing the sizes of Doha 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.