Which place is cheaper, Istanbul or Doha?
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 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 2-Week Tours in Turkey, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey.
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Doha Prices
Qatar PricesIstanbul Prices
Turkey Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDoha $244Istanbul $157
The average daily cost (per person) in Doha is $244, while the average daily cost in Istanbul is $157. 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 $73
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDoha $238Istanbul $146
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 $34
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Doha
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Doha:
- Shared Arrival Transfer - Doha City: $15
- Departure Transfer From West Bay / Pearl Qatar: $20
- City Tour To All Main Attractions Including Transfers: $29
- Doha : City Tour To All Main Attractions Including Transfers: $30
- Doha Airport Transfers Taxi: $35
- Doha : City Tour To All Main Attractions Including Transfers: $37
- Doha Night Desert Safari Camel Ride Dune Bashing with Transfer: $39
- Transfer from Hamad Airport to Doha City - Stress-Free Tranafer: $40
- Qatar Doha Airport (DOH) to Qatar Doha - Private Transfer: $41
- Doha to Qatar Doha Airport (DOH) - Departure Private Transfer: $41
- Doha Private Airport and City Transfers: $47
- Private Transfer from Doha Port to Doha Hamad Airport (DOH): $51
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Istanbul are as follows:
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Metro Cards$4.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:
- Airport Transfer: $62
- Airport Transfer Hotel Transfer Istanbul Transfer: $62
- Airport Transfer: Istanbul to New Airport IST by Luxury Van: $76
- Airport Transfer: Istanbul to Sabiha Airport SAW by Business Car: $69
- Airport Transfer: Istanbul to Sabiha Airport SAW by Luxury Van: $75
- Airport Transfer: New Airport IST to Istanbul by Business Car: $70
- Airport Transfer: Sabiha Airport SAW to Istanbul by Business Car: $69
- Airport Transfer: Sabiha Airport SAW to Istanbul by Luxury Van: $75
- Arrival Transfer: New Airport IST to Istanbul by Business Car: $69
- Best Airport Transfer Company Istanbul Meet Transfer: $52
- Best Istanbul Sultanahmet Old City Tour with Lunch and Transfer: $58
- Best of Istanbul City Full-Day Tour with Transfers: $49
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 $106Istanbul $58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Doha
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Doha.
- Evening Dhow Cruise with Optional BBQ Dinner: $20
- Doha Evening Dhow Cruise with Dinner Option: $25
- Sunset Experience, Traditional Dhow Cruise with Dinner: $28
- Starlight Dhow Cruise Dinner Experience on Doha Waterfront: $34
- Traditional Sunset Dhow Cruise Tour with BBQ Buffet Dinner: $35
- Traditional Arabian Dhow Cruise with Sunset and Skyline Dinner: $40
- Traditional Dhow Cruise Tour with Dinner on board: $50
- Sunset Dinner Cruise in Doha Bay A Traditional Dhow Experience: $55
- Qatar: Desert Dune Bashing with lunch/dinner in Desert Beach Camp: $55
- Full Day Desert Safari with Inland Sea Visit and Buffet Dinner: $150
- Doha Desert Safari Full day With Dinner,Dune Bashing,Sandboarding: $152
- Full Day Desert Safari in Qatar with Lunch/Dinner by sea side: $159
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Istanbul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Istanbul.
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Tour: $26
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise: Live Folk Dance & DJ Experience: $28
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Dance Shows with Private Table: $28
- Dinner and Turkish Night Show in Bosphorus Strait: $29
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Show Private Table: $29
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Folk Dance and Live Performances: $29
- İstanbul Mega Lüfer Dinner Cruise Bosphorus and Show - Pvt. Table: $30
- Bosphorus Turkish Night Show and Dinner Cruise with Private Table: $30
- Istanbul Night Life : Bosphorus Dinner Cruise - Unlimited Drinks: $31
- Bosphorus Evening Cruise: Dinner, Live Shows & Private Table: $31
- Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise Dinner, Drinks & Show with Pickup: $32
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Night Show: $33
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Doha $18Istanbul $38
Tours and Activities in Doha
Here are a few actual costs in Doha for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3-2-1 Olympic and Sports Museum ticket | Qatar: $20
- National Museum Ticket at Qatar: $23
- Qatar Desert Safari Adventure Experience .: $28
- Half Day Desert Safari from Cruise Airport or Hotel: $28
- Doha Desert Safari Sand Boarding Camel Ride and Inland Sea Tour: $28
- The Heart of the Desert – Doha Safari & Inland Sea Tour: $28
- Doha Desert Safari, ATV, Camels, Sandboarding and Inland Sea Tour: $28
- Doha Group Tour Skyline Souq and Cultural Village: $29
- Doha Night City Tour With Pickup From Doha airport and Hotels: $30
- Explore Doha Souq Waqif Katara Cultural Village Pearl Island Tour: $30
- Moonlight on The Gulf A Doha Dhow Cruise Adventure: $30
- Doha City Tour | Souq Waqif | Courniche | The Pearl | Katara etc: $34
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- Istanbul Sites: Peel back the layers of Turkish history a self-guided audio tour: $5.40
- Walking Tour in Istanbul with Audio and Written Guide Old City: $8.00
- Istanbul's Old Town Through Time: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
- Ihlamur Pavilion Skip-the-Line Ticket with Audio Guide: $10
- Sapanca and Masukiye Tour: $10
- Istanbul Walking Tour with Audioguide on Your Smartphone: $12
- 2-Hour Scenic Bosphorus Cruise in Istanbul Throughout the Day: $12
- Enjoy Istanbul’s Bosphorus:2-Hour Daytime, Sunset & Night Cruises: $12
- TOP Istanbul : Private Guided Tour with your mobile: $12
- Istanbul's Golden Hour: Bosphorus Sunset Cruise By Boat: $12
- Bursa and Uludag Tour from Istanbul: $12
- 2 Hours Afternoon Bosphorus Cruise: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDoha $14Istanbul $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Pub Crawl: Bars, Dancefloors, & Beyond: $17
- Pub Crawler VIP Entry Rooftop Bars&Clubs with Party Bus: $27
- Famous Istanbul Pub Crawl #1 Nightlife Experience: $28
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $78
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries: $209
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.