Which place is cheaper, Yangon or Istanbul?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Istanbul or Yangon?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Istanbul or Yangon, 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 Yangon?
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.
Yangon
Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, is the largest city and economic center for the nation of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. The city is a mix of British, Burmese, Chinese, and Indian influences, and is host to beautiful 19th-century colonial architecture as well as modern skyscrapers. The people of Yangon mainly follow the Buddhist religion and it is common to see monks wandering along the busy streets amidst gilded temples.
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 dayIstanbul $126Yangon $63
The average daily cost (per person) in Istanbul is $126, while the average daily cost in Yangon is $63. 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 Yangon in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIstanbul $47Yangon $31
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIstanbul $94Yangon $62
Compare Hotels in Istanbul and Yangon
Looking for a hotel in Istanbul or Yangon? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Istanbul $55Yangon $2.39
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:
- Princes' Islands Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $13
- Istanbul City to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW)-Departure Private Transfer: $20
- Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) to City Center - Arrival Private Transfer: $20
- Airport - Otel Transfer and City Tours: $20
- Private One-Way New Istanbul Airport Transfer To/From Istanbul: $21
- Istanbul Ataturk Airport (ISL) to Istanbul hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $22
- Istanbul Hotels to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (ISL) - Departure Private Transfer: $22
- Istanbul Airport (SAW) to Istanbul - Arrival Private Transfer: $22
- Istanbul to Istanbul Airport (SAW) - Departure Private Transfer: $22
- Princes' Islands Cruise with Lunch and Transfer Full-Day Tour: $23
- Princes' Islands Cruise w/Music, Lunch & Transfer: $24
- Private SAW Airport Arrival or Departure Transfer: $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yangon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Yangon:
- Bagan (Nyaung Oo) Airport Private Transfer : $8.54
- Bagan Airport Transfer with Private Car: $13
- Private Arrival Transfer: Bagan Nyaung-U Airport (NYU) to Hotel: $14
- Yangon Airport Private Arrival Transfer : $20
- Private Arrival Transfer: Yangon International Airport (RGN) to Hotel: $23
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Yangon International Airport (RGN): $23
- Private Hotel Transfers to or from YIA Airport: $25
- Yangon Airport Private Transfer : $27
- Private Yangon Departure Transfer: Hotel to Yangon Airport: $40
- Yangon Airport (RGN): Private Transfer to/from Yangon City: $41
Is it cheaper to fly into Istanbul or Yangon?
Prices for flights to both Yangon 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 $31Yangon $9.72
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.
- 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 Yangon
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Yangon.
- Morning Yangon Food Tour: $24
- Yangon morning food tour with train ride : $27
- Yangon Street Food Tours: $28
- Cooking Myanmar Food and Explore Dala: $46
- Cooking class in the down town of Yangon, half day tour (07:30 AM - 12:30 PM): $65
- Half day Cooking Course in Yangon: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Istanbul $79Yangon -
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)$0.62
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Yerebatan Cistern for Two$0.62
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Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts for Two$0.31
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Hagia Sofia entrance$0.93
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: $2.15
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Highlights Self Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.38
- City Tour with Audio Guide in your smartphone: $5.38
- Hagia Sophia Exclusive Digital Audio Guided Tour: $5.38
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.46
- Istanbul Outdoor Escape Game: The Royal Adventure: $7.09
- Daytime or Sunset Sightseeing Cruise & Audio Guide: $8.12
- Guided Boat Tour on the Bosphorus: $8.44
- Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise with Audio Guide: $9.69
- Self Guided Virtual Tour of Hagia Sophia The Highlights: $9.82
- Hagia Sophia & Hippdrome Tour with Local Expert: $11
Tours and Activities in Yangon
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Yangon are as follows:
- Bus Ticket ( Yangon - Mandalay): $21
- Walk and Ride Yangon Foodie Tour: $25
- Morning Eat, Walk & Ride Tour: $25
- Walking Tour in Downtown Yangon: $25
- Yangon Dala Discovery Tour on Bamboo Bicycles: $32
- Half-Day Spiritual Shwedagon Pagoda Join in Tour in Yangon: $33
- Adventure Half-day visit in Yangon : $37
- Yangon Full Day City Tour: $38
- Adventure Half-day visit in Yangon including Shwedagon Pagoda: $39
- Yangon City Tour With English Speaking Driver: $40
- Half-Day Thanlyin Tour in Yangon: $40
- Yangon Group Street Food & Walking Tour: $40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIstanbul $15Yangon -
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Istanbul and Yangon, we can see that Istanbul is more expensive. And not only is Yangon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Istanbul is in Europe and Yangon 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 Yangon would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Yangon 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 Yangon.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Istanbul Expensive? and Is Yangon Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Istanbul or Yangon?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Yangon. When comparing the sizes of Istanbul and Yangon, 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.