Which place is cheaper, Lucknow or Istanbul?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Istanbul or Lucknow?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Istanbul or Lucknow, 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 Lucknow?
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.
Lucknow
Lucknow, located in the central region of Awadh, is the capital city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. With a very rich cultural and historical past, Lucknow has been at the heart of North Indian culture for many centuries. It thrives in areas of art, cuisine, dance, culture, music, and more.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Turkey, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey, The Best Yoga Tours and Retreats in India, and The Best Luxury Tours to India.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIstanbul $126Lucknow $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Istanbul is $126, while the average daily cost in Lucknow is $46. 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 Lucknow in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIstanbul $47Lucknow $19
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIstanbul $94Lucknow $38
Compare Hotels in Istanbul and Lucknow
Looking for a hotel in Istanbul or Lucknow? 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: Istanbul Hotel Prices and Lucknow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Istanbul $55Lucknow $13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Istanbul are as follows:
-
Ferry$0.09
-
Local Bus$0.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:
- İstanbul Vip Airport Transfer : $50
- İstanbul Private Arrival Transfer : $56
- İstanbul Private Airport Transfer: $140
- İstanbul Airports Transfer Services: $43
- İstanbul Airport Transfer(Airport to Hotel,Hotel to Airport): $63
- İstanbul Airport Transfer : Your reliable & Stress-Free ride: $55
- İstanbul Airport Private Transfer: $46
- VIP Transfer from Hotel to Airport in Istanbul: $27
- Two Ways Sabiha Gokcen Airport VIP Transfer: $87
- Transfer from Hotels to Airports in Istanbul by Private Luxury Sedan: $131
- Transfer from Airports in Istanbul to Hotels by Private Eco-Sedan: $49
- Sabiha Gokcen Airport: Private Transfer Service to Istanbul: $65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lucknow
Also for Lucknow, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lucknow Airport Transfer: $28
- Private Transfer from Chaudhary Charan Singh (LKO) Airport to Lucknow: $42
- Private Transfer from Lucknow to Chaudhary Charan Singh (LKO) Airport: $42
- Agra to Lucknow Transfer: $100
- Lucknow 3-Days Private Tour with Hotel and Transfers: $277
Is it cheaper to fly into Istanbul or Lucknow?
Prices for flights to both Lucknow 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 dayIstanbul $31Lucknow $17
Typical Food Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of dining costs in Istanbul are as follows:
-
Juice$0.06
-
Turkish Delight$0.02
-
Dessert$0.26
-
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
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Turkish Night Show All inclusive: $16
- Dinner Cruise and Entertainment with Private Table: $17
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Tour With Turkish Night Show: $21
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise , Unlimited Drinks, & Show: $22
- Bosphorus Luxury Catamaran Cruise with Dinner Show: $25
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise and Turkish Night Show: $26
- Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise with All inclusive Dinner and Belly-Dancer Show : $27
- Bosphorus Boat Cruise with Dinner & Entertainment: $27
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Unlimited Drinks and Shows: $28
- Dinner Cruise Bosphorus with Hotel Transfer: $28
- 3 Hour Ottoman Dinner Cruise in Istanbul : $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lucknow
For Lucknow, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner With A Maharaja In Lucknow: $272
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Istanbul $79Lucknow $14
Typical Entertainment Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Istanbul are as follows:
-
Bosphurus Boat (for 2)$0.62
-
Yerebatan Cistern for Two$0.62
-
Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts for Two$0.31
-
Hagia Sofia entrance$0.93
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- 2 Hours Ultimate Kebab Experience in Galata, Istanbul: $160
- 4 Hours Private Highlights Tour Of Istanbul: $273
- All in One Day Istanbul - Historical Tour of Istanbul with Bosphorus Cruise: $164
- Bosphorus Cruise And Asia Minor Tour: $220
- Dolmabace Palace, Bosphorus Boat Tour , Eyüp Sultan Mosque Tour: $150
- Highlights of Cappadocia with Mehmet ( Private Tour ): $95
- Istanbul Half Day City Tour (Ottoman Relics): $55
- City Highlights Tour w/Hagia Sophia & Blue Mosque: $35
- Must - See Istanbul Stops 1: Half Day Morning Tour: $139
- 1 Day Private Istanbul Guided Tour: $75
- 1,2 or 3 DAY: Private Guided Istanbul Tour from CRUISE SHIP or HOTEL: $75
- 1-Day Best of Istanbul Private Tour with the Best Local Guides: $250
Tours and Activities in Lucknow
For Lucknow, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Lucknow Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $6.63
- Heritage & Cultural Walk of Lucknow (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Colonial Walk of Lucknow (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Heritage & Cultural Walk of Lucknow (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $14
- Night Walk Lucknow (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $14
- Heritage Lucknow Photography Tour (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $14
- Day Tour Of Lucknow: $22
- Lucknow Food Crawl (2 Hours Guided Local Food Tasting Tour): $25
- Private Ayodhya & Ram Mandir Temple Tour: $47
- 8 Hour: Lucknow Full day City Sightseeing Trip: $61
- Custom Private Lucknow Sightseeing Trip with Guided Trip: $61
- Lucknow Treasures: A Full-Day Private City Tour: $65
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayIstanbul $15Lucknow $7.04
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Istanbul 7-Hour Pub Crawl: Big Night Out: $27
- Party Pub Crawl with Party Bus: $29
- Wine Tasting Experience in Istanbul : $50
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $84
- 2-Day Wine Tasting Tour along the Thracian Wine Route: $180
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries : $246
- Istanbul Private and Guided, Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $430
- Luxury Wine Tasting on a Private Yacht: $849
Sample the Local Flavors in Lucknow
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lucknow:
- Pub Crawl Lucknow: $39
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Istanbul and Lucknow, we can see that Istanbul is more expensive. And not only is Lucknow much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Istanbul is in Europe and Lucknow is in Asia, 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 Lucknow would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lucknow 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 Lucknow.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Istanbul Expensive? and Is Lucknow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Istanbul or Lucknow?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Lucknow. When comparing the sizes of Istanbul and Lucknow, 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.