Which place is cheaper, Istanbul or Petra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Petra or Istanbul?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Petra and Istanbul can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Petra or Istanbul?
Petra
Whether you're checking off the Seven Wonders of the World, or you're just a huge Indiana Jones fan, the city of Petra must be on your bucket list. The "rose red city, half as old as time," was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom in the 6th century BC. It was the center for trade and commerce until an earthquake took out buildings and destroyed their water management system. After this destruction, the city of Petra seemed to be lost to western civilization.
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 Historical Tours in Jordan, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Jordan, The Best Budget Tours to Turkey, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPetra $125Istanbul $126
The average daily cost (per person) in Petra is $125, 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 Petra and Istanbul in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPetra $59Istanbul $47
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPetra $118Istanbul $94
Compare Hotels in Petra and Istanbul
Looking for a hotel in Petra 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: Petra Hotel Prices and Istanbul Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Petra $23Istanbul $55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Petra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Petra:
- Petra to Aqaba King Hussein Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $52
- Petra to Wadi Rum Private Transfer: $80
- Private Departure Transfer: Petra Hotels to Amman Airport: $93
- Private Transfer from Petra City Hotels to Aqaba Airport: $93
- Private Transfer From Petra to Amman or Airport With Optional : $99
- Petra Private Transfer to or from Aqaba: $105
- Petra to Aqaba South Beach Hotels Private Transfer: $110
- Private transfer Petra to/from Wadi Rum: $118
- Private Transfer Amman Airport to Petra or vice versa via the King's Highway: $120
- Private Transfer Petra to/from Wadi Rum: $135
- Petra to Madaba Private Transfer: $140
- Petra to Ma'in Hot Springs Private Transfer: $140
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 IST Airport Economy Minivan Transfer: $11
- Princes' Islands Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $13
- Private Transfer from Istanbul Hotels to Istanbul Cruise Port: $19
- Istanbul City to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW)-Departure 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 Airport (SAW) to Istanbul - Arrival Private Transfer: $22
- Istanbul Airport Private Transfers: $22
- Princes' Islands Cruise w/Music, Lunch & Transfer: $22
- Princes' Islands Cruise with Lunch and Transfer Full-Day Tour: $23
- Istanbul New Airport (IST) to City Center - Arrival Private Transfer: $24
Is it cheaper to fly into Petra or Istanbul?
Prices for flights to both Istanbul and Petra 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 dayPetra $38Istanbul $31
Typical Food Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of dining costs in Petra are as follows:
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Dinner for Two$12
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Juice$1.76
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Petra
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Petra.
- Cooking outside in little Petra between the Mountains. : $45
- Private Outdoor bedouin Dinner in Petra: $300
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
- Dinner Cruise and Entertainment with Private Table: $17
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Tour With Turkish Night Show: $21
- 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: $28
- 3 Hour Ottoman Dinner Cruise in Istanbul : $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Petra $47Istanbul $79
Typical Entertainment Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Petra are as follows:
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Entry to Petra for One$71
Tours and Activities in Petra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Petra are as follows:
- 3-hour Private Guided Tour In Petra with hotel pick up.: $75
- Private Indiana-Jones Archeological Trail Tour: $90
- Private Half-Day Tour of Petra with Lunch: $120
- Wadi Rum Day Tour from Petra ending in Aqaba: $138
- Private Petra Back Entrance Tour with Guide .: $140
- 3 Hour Horse Riding Adventure around the Petra Area: $145
- Wadi Rum Private Tour from Petra with Martian and Star Wars Film Site: $173
- Petra Back Entrance Private Walking Tour: $215
- Private Full-Day Tour to Petra and Wadi Rum from Dead Sea: $269
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
- Highlights Self Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.32
- City Tour with Audio Guide in your smartphone: $5.32
- Hagia Sophia Exclusive Digital Audio Guided Tour: $5.32
- Istanbul Sites: Peel back the layers of Turkish history a self-guided audio tour: $5.40
- Self Guided City Audio Tour of Istanbul: $5.44
- Kadikoy's history, theatres and sweet shops: a self-guided audio tour: $5.99
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.38
- Istanbul Outdoor Escape Game: The Royal Adventure: $7.06
- 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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPetra $15Istanbul $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Pub Crawl Big Nightout . Rooftop parties,party Bus & Nightlife: $22
- 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
- 2-Day Wine Tasting Tour along the Thracian Wine Route: $180
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries : $245
- Istanbul Private and Guided, Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $430
- Luxury Wine Tasting on a Private Yacht: $840
When comparing the travel costs between Petra and Istanbul, we can see that Istanbul is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Petra is in Middle East and Istanbul is in Europe, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Petra Expensive? and Is Istanbul Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Petra or Istanbul?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 800 times larger than the population of Petra. When comparing the sizes of Petra 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 Petra or Istanbul?
Istanbul has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Petra experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Petra or Istanbul in the Summer?
Both Istanbul and Petra are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Petra throughout the year. Also, many travelers come to Istanbul for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
The heat can be very extreme in Petra. In the summer, Petra is a little warmer than Istanbul. Typically, the summer temperatures in Petra in July average around 33°C (91°F), and Istanbul averages at about 24°C (74°F).
It's quite sunny in Istanbul. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Petra. Petra usually receives more sunshine than Istanbul during summer. Petra gets 384 hours of sunny skies, while Istanbul receives 333 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Petra usually receives less rain than Istanbul. Petra gets 0 mm (0 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 JulyPetra 33°C (91°F)Istanbul 24°C (74°F)
Should I visit Petra or Istanbul in the Autumn?
Both Istanbul and Petra during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Petra because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, many visitors come to Istanbul in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In October, Petra is generally much warmer than Istanbul. Daily temperatures in Petra average around 27°C (80°F), and Istanbul fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).
It's quite sunny in Petra. In the autumn, Petra often gets more sunshine than Istanbul. Petra gets 295 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Istanbul receives 169 hours of full sun.
Petra usually gets less rain in October than Istanbul. Petra gets 2 mm (0.1 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 OctoberPetra 27°C (80°F)Istanbul 16°C (61°F)
Should I visit Petra or Istanbul in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Petra and Istanbul. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Petra year-round. Furthermore, most visitors come to Istanbul for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.
Petra is much warmer than Istanbul in the winter. The daily temperature in Petra averages around 15°C (59°F) in January, and Istanbul fluctuates around 6°C (43°F).
In Petra, it's very sunny this time of the year. Petra usually receives more sunshine than Istanbul during winter. Petra gets 234 hours of sunny skies, while Istanbul receives 75 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Petra usually receives less rain than Istanbul. Petra gets 48 mm (1.9 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 JanuaryPetra 15°C (59°F)Istanbul 6°C (43°F)
Should I visit Petra or Istanbul in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Petra as well as Istanbul. Petra attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the spring months attract visitors to Istanbul because of the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In the spring, Petra is much warmer than Istanbul. Typically, the spring temperatures in Petra in April average around 25°C (76°F), and Istanbul averages at about 13°C (55°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Petra this time of the year. In the spring, Petra often gets more sunshine than Istanbul. Petra gets 282 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Istanbul receives 180 hours of full sun.
Petra usually gets less rain in April than Istanbul. Petra gets 12 mm (0.5 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 AprilPetra 25°C (76°F)Istanbul 13°C (55°F)
Typical Weather for Istanbul and Petra
| Petra | Istanbul | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 15°C (59°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Feb | 17°C (62°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 6°C (44°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Mar | 20°C (68°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| Apr | 25°C (76°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 28°C (83°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) |
| Jun | 31°C (88°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 21°C (71°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Jul | 33°C (91°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 24°C (74°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) |
| Aug | 32°C (90°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 24°C (74°F) | 26 mm (1 in) |
| Sep | 30°C (87°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 20°C (69°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (80°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
| Nov | 21°C (70°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) |
| Dec | 16°C (62°F) | 41 mm (1.6 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.