A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Istanbul vs. Freeport for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Istanbul or Freeport?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Istanbul or Freeport, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Istanbul or Freeport?

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.

Freeport

When you picture the Bahamas you likely picture the beaches, resorts and playgrounds of Nassau. Just to the northwest of this tourist paradise is a tropical city founded on industry. Freeport began as mostly swampland and is now the second most populous city in the Bahamas.

This city is less of a tourist attraction - a place where you'll find the true Bahaman culture mixed in with some relaxing spots to help you unwind and get into your island vacation.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Turkey, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Bahamas, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Bahamas.


Which place is cheaper, Freeport or Istanbul?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Istanbul is $156, while the average daily cost in Freeport is $291. 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 Istanbul and Freeport in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Istanbul $72
    Freeport $141
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Istanbul $144
    Freeport $282
Compare Hotels in Istanbul and Freeport

Looking for a hotel in Istanbul or Freeport? 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.

Hotels in Istanbul


Hotels in Freeport


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: Istanbul Hotel Prices and Freeport Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Istanbul $34
    Freeport $59
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Istanbul

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Istanbul are as follows:


  • Metro Cards
    $4.48

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:

  • Cappadocia-2-Days Tour with Flights and Transfers: $826
  • Private Bosphorus Tour on Luxury Yacht w/transfer: $636
  • Private Guided Istanbul Luxury Tour (Tickets and Transfers): $348
  • From 2-Day Cappadocia Trip w/ Flight and Transfers: $300
  • Istanbul Private Cultural Tours, Hotel Transfers Including: $299
  • Istanbul Dolmabahçe Palace Private Tour with Transfers: $299
  • Istanbul Old City Private Tour With Professional Guide & Transfer: $276
  • Miniatürk Istanbul Private Guided Tour & Optional Transfers: $243
  • Istanbul Airport Transfer: Sabiha Airport SAW to Istanbul in Luxury Car: $241
  • Private Custom Tour with Hotel Pickup & Transfers: $230
  • Istanbul Airport Transfer: Istanbul to New Airport IST in Luxury Car: $229
  • Istanbul Airport Transfer: New Airport IST to Istanbul in Luxury Car: $229

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Freeport

Also for Freeport, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Round-Trip Airport Transfer Viva Club Fortuna Freeport: $28
  • Round-trip Airport Transfers to Castaway Resorts, Freeport: $30
  • Roundtrip Airport Transfers Island Seas Resort Freeport: $30
  • Private Transfer from Freeport Port to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO): $67
  • Private Transfer from Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Freeport Port: $67
  • Old Bahama Bay to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) - Private Transfer: $77
  • Freeport to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) Departure Private Transfer: $77
  • Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Old Bahama Bay - Private Transfer: $77
  • Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Freeport - Arrival Private Transfer: $77
  • Luxury SUV Transfer from Airport, cruise port, Celebration Key: $133
  • Shared Round Trip Limousine Transfer: $150
  • Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Old Bahama Bay -Round-Trip Transfer: $153

Is it cheaper to fly into Istanbul or Freeport?

Prices for flights to both Freeport and Istanbul 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Istanbul $57
    Freeport $110

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Istanbul

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Istanbul.

  • Istanbul Dinner Cruise Show: $20
  • Show Cruise & Dinner at Window Seat Private Table: $20
  • Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Entertainment: $22
  • Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show – Window Side Table Optional: $22
  • Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise with Optional 4 Course Dinner: $25
  • Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Tour With Turkish Night Show: $27
  • Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Night with Live Shows: $27
  • Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Dance Shows with Private Table: $28
  • Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Folk Dance and Live Performances: $29
  • Dinner and Turkish Night Show in Bosphorus Strait: $29
  • Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Night Show: $30
  • Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Night Show: $30

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Freeport

For Freeport, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Around Town/Bahamian Cooking Experience: $200

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Istanbul $38
    Freeport $40

Tours and Activities in Istanbul

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:

  • 1 or 2 Day Private Istanbul Guided Tour: $80
  • 1 or 2- Day Istanbul Highlights Tour w/ a Professional Guide: $58
  • 1,2 or 3 DAY: Private Guided Istanbul Tour from CRUISE SHIP or HOTEL: $130
  • 1-Day Best of Istanbul Private Tour with the Best Local Guides: $295
  • 1-Day Private Istanbul Layover Tour: $240
  • 10 Tastings of Istanbul Foodie Tour: $106
  • 2 Continents Tour incl. Beylerbeyi Palace [full-day]: $170
  • 2 Day Gallipoli and Troy Tour From Istanbul: $364
  • 2 Days Cappadocia Tour From Istanbul by Overnight Bus: $392
  • 2 Days Cappadocia Tour by Return Flight From Istanbul: $347
  • 2 Full Days Guided Istanbul City Tour With Skip the Line Entry: $200
  • 2-Days Private Walking Tour in Istanbul: $300

Typical Entertainment Prices in Freeport

For Freeport, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • 10 Dive Package
    $300
  • 4 Hr. Kayak Tour
    $70
  • 1/2 Day Snorkel Trip
    $75

Tours and Activities in Freeport

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Freeport.

  • Bahamas Carnivals Celebration Shared Transit Beer and Beach Tour: $40
  • Junkanoo Village Beach Club Unlimited Rum Punch Experience: $55
  • Rumbo Tour: $60
  • Coopers Castle and Port Lucaya Marketplace Tour: $60
  • Junkanoo Village Beach Club Experience: Lunch & Signature Drink: $70
  • Swim with the Pigs Freeport @Creative Eco Adventures: $72
  • Mamma Gal Native Experience: $80
  • Mamma Gal Celeb-Key Native Exp. Shared Tour: $80
  • Grand Bahama Catamaran Sunset Cruise with Drinks and Snacks: $89
  • Mamma Gal East End Native Experience: $95
  • Bahamas Sea Scooter Snorkeling Adventure: $120
  • Clear Kayak Tour: $120

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Istanbul $10
    Freeport $31

Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:

  • Pub Crawl in Taksim: $14
  • Explore Istanbul Night Life: Pub Crawl: $23
  • Pub Crawler VIP Entry Rooftop Bars&Clubs with Party Bus: $27
  • Famous Istanbul Pub Crawl #1 Nightlife Experience: $28
  • Istanbul Party Pub Crawl with Party Bus in Sultanahmet and Taksim: $31
  • Party Pub Crawl with Party Bus: $32
  • Boat Party & Pub Crawl with Party Bus: $43
  • Wine Tasting with Indigenous Local Varieties: $54
  • Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $78
  • Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries: $210

Sample the Local Flavors in Freeport

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Freeport:

  • Brewery & Taste with Beach & Shop at Largest Market on Freeport 4-hrs: $85
  • Grand Bahama Brewery and Distillery Tour: $150


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Istanbul and Freeport, we can see that Freeport is more expensive. And not only is Istanbul much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Istanbul is in Europe and Freeport is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Freeport would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Freeport 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 Istanbul Expensive? and Is Freeport Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Istanbul or Freeport?

Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 420 times larger than the population of Freeport. When comparing the sizes of Istanbul and Freeport, 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.