Which place is cheaper, Pokhara or Istanbul?
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 Istanbul or Pokhara?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Istanbul or Pokhara, 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 Pokhara?
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.
Pokhara
Pokhara is the second largest city in Nepal and is strategically located near the popular Annapurna Circuit. The Annapurna Circuit, or the "Apple Pie Trail", is a popular trek through the Annapurna Valley that makes a circular route through stunning mountainous landscapes. Several other trekking options can be found in this region, too. Many people use Pohkara as a place to prepare or recover from their recently completed treks because it is less intimidating than the larger city of Kathmandu.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Turkey, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Nepal, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Nepal.
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Istanbul Prices
Turkey PricesPokhara Prices
Nepal Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIstanbul $151Pokhara $21
The average daily cost (per person) in Istanbul is $151, while the average daily cost in Pokhara is $21. 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 Pokhara in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIstanbul $70Pokhara $3.37
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIstanbul $140Pokhara $6.74
Compare Hotels in Istanbul and Pokhara
Looking for a hotel in Istanbul or Pokhara? 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 Pokhara Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Istanbul $33Pokhara $6.58
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Istanbul are as follows:
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Metro Cards$4.34
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:
- Airport Transfer to from Sabiha Gokcen Airport: $78
- Airport Transfer: New Airport IST to Istanbul by Luxury Van: $71
- Airport transfer Istanbul: $57
- Arrival Private Transfer from New Airport IST to Istanbul City in Van: $74
- BEST of Istanbul City Full-Day Tour with Transfers: $49
- Bodrum Airport Private Transfer Services: $68
- Bosphorus Sunset Luxury Yacht Cruise with Guide and Transfers: $77
- Cappadocia Private Tour, Transfers from Local Hotels or Istanbul: $182
- City Center to Istanbul Airport (IST) Departure Transfers: $80
- Departure Private Transfer from Istanbul City to New Airport IST in Van: $74
- Departure Transfer to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW): $99
- Fast and Luxury VIP Private Transfer IST Airport and Hotel Pickup: $97
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pokhara
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Pokhara:
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Short Taxi Ride$0.65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pokhara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pokhara:
- Pokhara Airport Shuttles & Private Transfer: $15
- Pokhara Airport Transfer to hotels – Easy, Safe & Hassle-Free: $20
- Annapurna Foothills Day Hike With Transfers: $45
- Pokhara to Kathmandu One Way Transfer by Private AC Car: $80
- Pokhara to Kathmandu Transfer by Private Car: $99
- Private Transfer from Pokhara to Kathmandu: $120
- Pokhara to Kathmandu: Premium Private Car Transfer: $130
- "Exclusive Round-Trip Transfer: Pokhara to Jomsom & Muktinath": $191
- Transfer to Lower Mustang (Jomsom): $205
Is it cheaper to fly into Istanbul or Pokhara?
Prices for flights to both Pokhara 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
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Food Meals for one dayIstanbul $55Pokhara $12
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: $21
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Tour With Turkish Night Show: $21
- Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise with Optional 4 Course Dinner: $25
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Dance Shows with Private Table: $27
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise: Live Folk Dance & DJ Experience: $27
- Dinner and Turkish Night Show in Bosphorus Strait: $29
- Budget Evening Cruise: Dinner, Live Shows & Party: $29
- Bosphorus Night Cruise: Dinner, Drinks & Hotel Pickup: $29
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Show Private Table: $29
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise and Show with Private Table: $30
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Shows and Drinks: $30
- All Inclusive; Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Live Shows&Unlimited Drinks: $30
Typical Food Prices in Pokhara
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Pokhara:
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Dinner for Two$3.88
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Dessert (for 2)$2.59
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Pastries$1.29
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Dinner$5.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pokhara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Pokhara.
- Nepali cultural dinner night in Pokhara: $21
- Nepalese Momos or Dal Bhat Cooking Class (Cook with Delight): $25
- Nepali Cooking Class in Pokhara with a Local Family: $60
- 3 Hours Momo Cooking class in Pokhara: $70
- 1 Day Momo making cooking class: $75
- Organic Farm Tour and Cooking Class at Durku: $115
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Istanbul $37Pokhara $6.26
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- Istanbul Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $3.42
- Istanbul Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
- Self-Guided Podcast Tour Exploring Two Empires: $6.85
- Walking Tour in Istanbul with Audio and Written Guide Balat&Asia: $8.00
- Walking Tour in Istanbul with Audio and Written Guide Pera: $8.00
- Istanbul Highlights Self guided scavenger hunt and Walking Tour: $8.00
- Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise Tour with Audio Guide: $8.01
- Bosphorus Daytime or Sunset Sightseeing Cruise & Audio Guide: $9.90
- Istanbul Istiklal Street Story Self Guided Audio GPS Walking Tour: $9.99
- Kadikoy's history, theatres and sweet shops: a self-guided audio tour: $9.99
- Sapanca and Masukiye Tour from Istanbul with Optional Activities: $10
- Kucuksu Pavilion Skip-the-Line Ticket with Audio Guide: $10
Tours and Activities in Pokhara
Here are a few actual costs in Pokhara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Pokhara to Chitwan Tourist Bus Sofa seater: $9.00
- Sarangkot Sunrise & Private Full-Day Highlights Tour: $10
- Pokhara Places of Interest Tour by Sharing Bus: $10
- Pokhara to Kathmandu Tourist Bus Ticket Luxury Sofa: $11
- Chitwan: to Kathmandu/Pokhara Tourist Bus luxurious Sofa: $12
- Kathmandu: to Chitwan By Luxurious Sofa Tourist Bus or Back: $12
- Group Joining Sarangkot Sunrise Himalayas Tour: $12
- Budget Unguided Tour By Sharing Bus: $12
- Bandipur to Kathmandu Tourist Bus Ticket Luxury Sofa: $13
- Tourist Bus: Chitwan to Pokhara or Pokhara to Chitwan: $14
- Pokhara to Kathmandu Tourist Sofa Bus: $14
- Tourist Bus Pokhara to Kathmandu (Luxury Sofa Seat): $14
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIstanbul $9.97Pokhara $5.65
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Pub Crawler VIP Entry Rooftop Bars&Clubs with Party Bus: $26
- Famous Istanbul Pub Crawl #1 Nightlife Experience: $28
- Pub Crawl Original Istanbul Pub Crawl with Party Bus: $30
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $78
- Taksim Pera Wine Tasting 3 Hour Guided Tour: $130
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries: $205
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Istanbul and Pokhara, we can see that Istanbul is more expensive. And not only is Pokhara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Istanbul is in Europe and Pokhara 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 Pokhara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pokhara 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 Pokhara.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Istanbul Expensive? and Is Pokhara Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Istanbul or Pokhara?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Pokhara. When comparing the sizes of Istanbul and Pokhara, 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.