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 2-Week Tours in Turkey, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDoha $200Istanbul $125
The average daily cost (per person) in Doha is $200, while the average daily cost in Istanbul is $125. 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 Arrival Transfer - Doha City: $14
- Shared Departure Transfer in West Bay : $20
- Sharing Arrival Transfer - West Bay: $20
- Airport Transfer - From and To Hammad International Airport: $25
- Sharing Arrival Transfer - Pearl Qatar: $27
- Private Arrival Transfer - Doha: $50
- Doha Night Desert Safari Camel Ride Dune Bashing with Transfer: $66
- Qatar Doha Hamad Airport (DOH) to Doha - Arrival Private Transfer: $67
- Private transfer: Doha Airport (DOH) to Doha: $70
- Private transfer: Doha to Doha Airport (DOH): $70
- Private Transfer from Hamad Airport to Doha City : $70
- Private Transfer from Doha Port to Doha Hamad Airport (DOH): $74
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 Private Transfer to the City : $30
- 1-Way Private Transfer to/from Sabiha Gokcen Airport: $76
- Aeropuerto Transfer IST Airport to City Center Two way transfer : $123
- Airport Transfer: $60
- Airport transfer Istanbul: $49
- Airport vip transfer istanbul. Hotel transfer from Istanbul airports.: $45
- Arrival & Departure Private Transfer in Istanbul: $43
- Arrival Private Transfer: New Airport IST to Istanbul in Business Car: $55
- Best VIP Istanbul Luxury Transfer: $67
- Best of Princes Island Day Tour with Boat Ride & Transfer: $40
- Bosphorus Sunset Cruise on Luxury Yacht with Transfers: $56
- City Center to Istanbul Airport (IST) Departure Transfers: $78
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 Safliya Island: $65
- Private Souk Waqif with Lunch or Dinner Tour: $96
- Food Tour in The Pearl Qatar Island: $139
- Half Day Doha City Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $143
- Full Day Desert Safari with Camp Access, Buffet Dinner,Camel Ride: $195
- Private Desert Safari with BBQ Lunch/Dinner at Souk Al Wakra Tour: $202
- Full Day Desert Private Safari with Lunch or Dinner: $214
- Private Overnight Desert Safari, Dune bashing, dinner & Breakfast: $220
- Doha : Full Day Desert Safari | BBQ Dinner | Inland sea: $237
- Full Day Desert Safari with Lunch/Dinner in Desert Camp: $280
- Overnight Private Desert Safari with Buffet Dinner and Camel Ride: $299
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.
- Dinner Cruise On The Bosphorus with Turkish night show: $15
- Turkish Night on the Bosphorus Dinner Cruise: $16
- Dinner Cruise and Entertainment with Private Table: $17
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise , Unlimited Drinks, & Show: $22
- Bosphorus Luxury Catamaran Cruise with Dinner Show: $25
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise and Turkish Night Show: $26
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show with Private Table: $27
- Bosphorus Boat Cruise with Dinner & Entertainment: $27
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Unlimited Drinks and Shows: $30
- Bosphorus Elite Dinner Cruise w/VIP Menu & Private Table Option: $31
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Folklore Show & Belly Dancers: $32
- Pasha Istanbul Dinner Cruise: $33
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:
- Al Safliya Island Photo Tour: $25
- Doha City Tour with Pick Up & drop off Airport or Cruise Terminal: $45
- Doha Sunset Boat Cruise with Drinks: $48
- Moonlight Boat Cruise with Drinks: $48
- Arabian Sands Half-Day Adventure in Qatar: $50
- Doha Shopping Tour: $59
- Katara Culture Tour with Arabic Dhow Cruise: $62
- Doha Night Desert Safari Adventure: $65
- Explore Heart of Qatar Doha City Tour with Professional Guide: $65
- Private City Tour: $65
- Private City Tour from Doha : $65
- Private North of Qatar Tour: $68
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)$0.61
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Yerebatan Cistern for Two$0.61
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Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts for Two$0.31
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Hagia Sofia entrance$0.92
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- App self-guided tours Istanbul with multilingual audioguide: $2.18
- Perri Asian & Mediterranean Restaurant Discount Entry Ticket: $3.12
- Best of Turkish Bath:Historical Çeşme Hammam Discount Ticket: $3.12
- Abdi Bey Turkish Traditional Restaurant Discount Ticket: $3.12
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.26
- Private Guided Walking Tour in Istanbul: $5.00
- Private Guided Walking Tour: $5.44
- Hagia Sophia Exclusive Digital Audio Guided Tour: $5.44
- Highlights Self Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.44
- City Tour with Audio Guide in your smartphone: $5.44
- Kadikoy's history, theatres and sweet shops: a self-guided audio tour: $5.99
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.53
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:
- Famous Istanbul Pub Crawl #1 Nightlife Experience: $27
- Pub and Rooftop Bar Crawl: $27
- #1 Rated Istanbul Party Pub Crawl w Party Bus/Sultanahmet&Taksim: $29
- Party Pub Crawl with Party Bus: $30
- Wine Tasting Experience in Istanbul : $50
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $90
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries : $251
- Istanbul Private and Guided, Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $430
- Luxury Wine Tasting on a Private Yacht: $859
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.