Which place is cheaper, Istanbul or Jerusalem?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Jerusalem or Istanbul?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Jerusalem or Istanbul, 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: Jerusalem or Istanbul?
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is the capital city of Israel, as well as one of the most historically rich cities in the world. It is also the largest city in the country. While Tel Aviv holds many of the responsibilities of a capital city, officially, Jerusalem is still considered the capital. It is important to note that most countries have their embassies in Tel Aviv, not in Jerusalem.
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 Luxury Tours to Israel, The Best Budget Tours to Israel, The Best Budget Tours to Turkey, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJerusalem $107Istanbul $126
The average daily cost (per person) in Jerusalem is $107, while the average daily cost in Istanbul is $126. 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 Jerusalem and Istanbul in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJerusalem $63Istanbul $47
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJerusalem $126Istanbul $94
Compare Hotels in Jerusalem and Istanbul
Looking for a hotel in Jerusalem 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: Jerusalem Hotel Prices and Istanbul Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Jerusalem $6.64Istanbul $55
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Jerusalem
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jerusalem are as follows:
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Local Bus$3.13
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Light Rail Jerusalem$9.68
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jerusalem
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Jerusalem:
- Private Jerusalem Departure Transfer - Hotel/Accommodation to Tel Aviv Airport: $48
- Jerusalem to Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) - Departure Private Transfer: $78
- Private Intercity Transfer - from your Jerusalem hotel to your Tel Aviv hotel: $90
- Private Transfer: From Jerusalem to Tel Aviv: $95
- Jerusalem to Allenby Bridge Private Transfer: $130
- VIP Transfer between Ben Gurion Airport and Jerusalem: $130
- VIP transfer between Ben Gurion Airport and Jerusalem: $130
- Private Airport Transfers to/from Hotel: $146
- Jerusalem to Allenby Bridge Private Transfer: $150
- Private Transfer from Dead Sea Hotels to Aqaba Airport: $160
- Allenby Bridge to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv Private Transfer: $170
- Transfer Between Tel Aviv city and Jerusalem city: $212
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 Transfer Sabiha Gökçen Airport Transfer: $13
- Princes' Islands Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $13
- Private Transfer from Istanbul Hotels to Istanbul Cruise Port: $19
- Private Transfer from Istanbul Cruise Port to Istanbul hotels : $19
- Istanbul City to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW)-Departure Private Transfer: $20
- Airport - Otel Transfer and City Tours: $20
- Private Economic VIP Transfer to/from Istanbul Airport : $20
- Istanbul Ataturk Airport (ISL) to Istanbul hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $22
- Istanbul Hotels to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (ISL) - Departure Private Transfer: $22
- Istanbul to Istanbul Airport (SAW) - Departure Private Transfer: $22
- Istanbul Airport Private Transfers: $22
- Princes' Islands Cruise w/Music, Lunch & Transfer: $22
Is it cheaper to fly into Jerusalem or Istanbul?
Prices for flights to both Istanbul and Jerusalem 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 dayJerusalem $31Istanbul $31
Typical Food Prices in Jerusalem
Some typical examples of dining costs in Jerusalem are as follows:
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Orange Juice$2.65
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Watermelon$3.98
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Lunch$12
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Food at Market$15
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Juice$2.65
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Bagels$7.96
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Lunch for 2$14
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Snacks$5.57
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jerusalem
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Jerusalem.
- Food Tour in Jerusalem with a Local : $72
- Private Lunch or Dinner at a Local Traditional Restaurant from Dead Sea: $96
- Mahane Yehuda Market food tour jerusalem: $99
- The Best Food Tour in Jerusalem--Perfect for Viral Travel Content: $110
- Private Madaba Haret Jdoudna Restaurant Lunch or Dinner from Dead Sea: $115
- Christmas Eve in Israel: Jerusalem Sightseeing Tour with Dinner and Midnight Mass Viewing in Bethlehem: $125
- Experience Shabbat With Dinner In Jerusalem: $170
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 and Entertainment with Private Table: $17
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise , Unlimited Drinks, & Show: $21
- Bosphorus Luxury Catamaran Cruise with Dinner Show: $25
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise and Turkish Night Show: $26
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show with Private Table: $26
- Bosphorus Boat Cruise with Dinner & Entertainment: $27
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Unlimited Drinks and Shows: $28
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise: $28
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise and Turkish Night Show: $29
- Half Day Sunset Luxury Yacht Dinner Cruise Tour in Istanbul: $29
- 3 Hour Ottoman Dinner Cruise in Istanbul : $29
- Turkish Night on the Bosphorus Dinner Cruise: $30
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Jerusalem $8.43Istanbul $79
Typical Entertainment Prices in Jerusalem
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Jerusalem are as follows:
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Cooking Classes for 2$33
Tours and Activities in Jerusalem
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Jerusalem are as follows:
- 360 Virtual Tour of Ancient Jerusalem: $6.00
- In The Footsteps of Jesus Day Tour - Dguide Self Guiding App: $7.00
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Skip the Line:1.5Hour AudioTour - Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center Ticket: $11
- Bethlehem Christian Guided Tour: $20
- Independent graffiti tour in Jerusalem at your own time and pace: $22
- Bethlehem Half Day Guided Group Tour : $24
- Self-Guided Tour at Machne Yehuda Market with Chef Tali Fridman: $25
- Old City Shabbat Experience and Walking Tour: $28
- Guided Walking Tour of the Old City: $30
- Guided Shabbat Experience in Jerusalem: $30
- Old City of Jerusalem Guided Walking Tour: $32
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:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.19
- City Tour with Audio Guide in your smartphone: $5.32
- Highlights Self Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.32
- Hagia Sophia Exclusive Digital Audio Guided Tour: $5.32
- Self Guided City Audio Tour of Istanbul: $5.46
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.38
- Istanbul Outdoor Escape Game: The Royal Adventure: $7.09
- Istanbul in a day: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in English: $7.77
- Istanbul Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- App self-guided tours Istanbul with multilingual audioguide: $9.58
- Self Guided Virtual Tour of Hagia Sophia The Highlights: $9.82
- The Royal Adventure Highlights Exploration Game: $11
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJerusalem $16Istanbul $15
Typical Alcohol Prices in Jerusalem
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Jerusalem are as follows:
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Beer$4.77
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 : $45
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $84
- 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: $840
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jerusalem and Istanbul, we can see that Istanbul is more expensive. And not only is Jerusalem much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Jerusalem 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 Jerusalem would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jerusalem 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 Jerusalem.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Jerusalem Expensive? and Is Istanbul Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Jerusalem or Istanbul?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Jerusalem. When comparing the sizes of Jerusalem 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.
When is the best time to visit Jerusalem or Istanbul?
Istanbul has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Jerusalem experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Jerusalem or Istanbul in the Summer?
Both Istanbul and Jerusalem are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Jerusalem throughout the year. Also, the city activities and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Istanbul this time of year.
Jerusalem is around the same temperature as Istanbul in the summer. The daily temperature in Jerusalem averages around 23°C (73°F) in July, and Istanbul fluctuates around 24°C (74°F).
It's quite sunny in Istanbul. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Jerusalem. Jerusalem usually receives more sunshine than Istanbul during summer. Jerusalem gets 364 hours of sunny skies, while Istanbul receives 333 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Jerusalem usually receives less rain than Istanbul. Jerusalem gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Istanbul receives 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyJerusalem 23°C (73°F)Istanbul 24°C (74°F)
Should I visit Jerusalem or Istanbul in the Autumn?
Both Istanbul and Jerusalem during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Jerusalem because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Istanbul for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Jerusalem is a little warmer than Istanbul. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Jerusalem in October average around 19°C (66°F), and Istanbul averages at about 16°C (61°F).
It's quite sunny in Jerusalem. In the autumn, Jerusalem often gets more sunshine than Istanbul. Jerusalem gets 274 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Istanbul receives 169 hours of full sun.
Jerusalem usually gets less rain in October than Istanbul. Jerusalem gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Istanbul receives 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberJerusalem 19°C (66°F)Istanbul 16°C (61°F)
Should I visit Jerusalem or Istanbul in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Jerusalem and Istanbul. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Jerusalem year-round. Furthermore, many visitors come to Istanbul in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In January, Jerusalem is generally a little warmer than Istanbul. Daily temperatures in Jerusalem average around 8°C (46°F), and Istanbul fluctuates around 6°C (43°F).
Jerusalem usually receives more sunshine than Istanbul during winter. Jerusalem gets 184 hours of sunny skies, while Istanbul receives 75 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Jerusalem usually receives less rain than Istanbul. Jerusalem gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Istanbul receives 99 mm (3.9 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryJerusalem 8°C (46°F)Istanbul 6°C (43°F)
Should I visit Jerusalem or Istanbul in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Jerusalem as well as Istanbul. Jerusalem attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, most visitors come to Istanbul for the activities around the city and the natural beauty during these months.
Jerusalem is a little warmer than Istanbul in the spring. The daily temperature in Jerusalem averages around 16°C (61°F) in April, and Istanbul fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Jerusalem this time of the year. In the spring, Jerusalem often gets more sunshine than Istanbul. Jerusalem gets 269 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Istanbul receives 180 hours of full sun.
Jerusalem usually gets less rain in April than Istanbul. Jerusalem gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Istanbul receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilJerusalem 16°C (61°F)Istanbul 13°C (55°F)
Typical Weather for Istanbul and Jerusalem
| Jerusalem | Istanbul | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 8°C (46°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Feb | 9°C (48°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 6°C (44°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Mar | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (61°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 19°C (66°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) |
| Jun | 22°C (72°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 21°C (71°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 24°C (74°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (73°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 24°C (74°F) | 26 mm (1 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 20°C (69°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) |
| Dec | 10°C (50°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 9°C (47°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) |
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.