Checked on 2 October 2026. The tariffs come from several sources that agree with each other; the food and hotel ranges are drawn from third-party guides published between June and September 2026, not from a WorldWalk survey. Always confirm prices on the day, especially the lira ones.
Quick answer
- Hagia Sophia: €25 for foreign visitors (paid in lira at the day's rate).
- Topkapi Palace: 2,750 TL for a single combined ticket (palace, Harem and Hagia Irene).
- Basilica Cistern: most 2026 sources give 1,950 TL for the daytime ticket.
- Istanbulkart ride: 46.20 TL on most city routes.
- Airport coach (HAVAIST) into the centre: 470 TL.
- Free: the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar.
- Rough daily total, without accommodation: around 1,000–1,400 TL on a day of free sights, and about 3,700–4,100 TL plus €25 on a day that includes Topkapi and Hagia Sophia.
Sight tickets
| Sight | Price for foreign visitors | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hagia Sophia | €25 | Upper gallery only. Paid in lira at the day's rate. Museum Pass not valid. Children under 8 free. |
| Topkapi Palace | 2,750 TL | One combined ticket: palace, Harem and Hagia Irene. Closed Tuesdays. |
| Basilica Cistern | 1,950 TL (09:00–18:30); 3,000 TL "Night Shift" (19:30–22:00) | Most 2026 sources agree; one August 2026 source gives 2,250 TL. Museum Pass not valid. |
| Blue Mosque | Free | Closed to tourists during prayers. |
| Grand Bazaar | Free | Closed Sundays. |
| Bosphorus tour (Şehir Hatları) | ₺640 (Long tour, return), ₺340 (Short tour) | Official list as of 10 August 2026 for foreign passengers; see our Bosphorus guide. |
Notes
- Hagia Sophia is priced in euros. It is paid in lira at the day's rate, so the lira amount moves with the exchange rate. See our Hagia Sophia guide.
- Topkapi: older guides still describe a separate Harem ticket. In 2026, multiple sources describe a single combined ticket at 2,750 TL, and some list Harem-only and Hagia Irene-only tickets at 1,050 TL each. Buy at the museum's ticket office or the official channel, and check what your ticket includes. See our Topkapi guide.
- Basilica Cistern: the evening "Night Shift" session has been listed both as selling at 3,000 TL and as temporarily unavailable, so confirm before planning around it. See our Cistern guide.
- Museum Pass Istanbul: about €105 (roughly 6,500 TL in April 2026), valid for five days from your first entry. It doesn't cover Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern or Dolmabahçe Palace, and its coverage at Topkapi has changed more than once. It's only worth buying if you plan several state museums.
What an Old City sight list adds up to. Hagia Sophia (€25), Topkapi (2,750 TL) and the Cistern (1,950 TL) come to 4,700 TL plus €25 in admissions alone. Many visitors visit one or two of them and fill the rest of the day with free sights.
Transport
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Istanbulkart, standard ride (metro, tram, bus) | 46.20 TL |
| Single-use e-ticket | 65 TL (10 rides: 530 TL) |
| HAVAIST coach from IST to Taksim or Beşiktaş | 470 TL |
| HAVAIST coach from IST to Kadıköy | 515 TL |
| HAVAIST coach from IST to Sultanahmet | 470 TL (one source lists it; see below) |
These figures come from an article dated 25 September 2026 that cites the Metro İstanbul and Havaist tariffs, and they agree with other recent guides on the 470 TL coach fare. The Istanbulkart has to be bought separately, and some services, such as Marmaray, Metrobus and the airport metro M11, are priced by distance, so the gate shows the exact fare.
- Cheaper by card: ten rides cost 462 TL with an Istanbulkart against 530 TL in single-use tickets.
- The Sultanahmet coach: the status of a direct HAVAIST line to Sultanahmet has varied during 2026. Check the live route list at hava.ist before relying on it; the fallback is a coach or the M11 to Aksaray and then the T1 tram.
- Full details: Istanbulkart and public transport and Istanbul Airport to the city.
Food
Guides disagree on exact amounts, so these are reported ranges, not tariffs.
| Item | Reported range (TL) |
|---|---|
| Simit | 15–50 |
| Döner or dürüm | 100–250 |
| Balık ekmek | 120–200 |
| A full meal at a local lokanta | 250–650 |
| A mid-range sit-down dinner | 700–1,200 |
| A view or tourist-district restaurant | 1,500–2,500+ |
Budget visitors who eat street food and one lokanta meal a day are reported spending roughly 800–1,200 TL on food. For what to order, see what to eat in Istanbul.
Service and cover charges are banned. Since 30 January 2026, restaurants and cafés can't add a service charge or a cover charge ("kuver"). The menu price is the bill, and tips are voluntary.
Accommodation
Prices per room per night, from guides published in 2026:
| Type | Reported range (TL) |
|---|---|
| Hostel dorm bed | about 700–1,200 |
| Budget hotel or private room | 1,500–3,000 |
| Mid-range hotel | 3,000–5,500 |
The spread between sources is wide: some put dorm beds as low as roughly 400–650 TL (prices dated June 2026) and others at up to 1,200 TL. Prices also depend on the district, the season and how far ahead you book. For areas, see where to stay in Istanbul.
Sample days
These are our own sums built from the figures above, excluding the cost of accommodation, flights and shopping.
A day of free sights (the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar, a walk to Galata, tram rides):
- four metro or tram rides: about 185 TL (4 × 46.20);
- food (street food and one lokanta meal): about 800–1,200 TL;
- total: about 1,000–1,400 TL. A ferry crossing is extra.
A day with Topkapi and Hagia Sophia:
- Topkapi, combined ticket: 2,750 TL;
- Hagia Sophia: €25;
- four rides: about 185 TL;
- food: about 800–1,200 TL;
- total: about 3,700–4,100 TL plus €25.
Adding a place to sleep: a dorm bed adds roughly 700–1,200 TL, a budget hotel room 1,500–3,000 TL, and a mid-range hotel room 3,000–5,500 TL, shared between two if you travel as a couple.
Cross-check: third-party guides give whole-day budgets that include accommodation of around 2,000–2,800 TL for a budget traveller and about 3,000–4,500 TL for a mid-range one. Our sums, with a dorm bed, come to roughly 1,700–2,600 TL for a budget day, which is in the same range.
One-off costs: the coach from the airport is 470 TL each way, and an Istanbulkart has to be bought before you load fares on it.
Where visitors lose money
- Exchanging money at the airport or a hotel. Compare döviz offices in the city: see where to exchange money in Istanbul.
- Paying in your home currency. When an ATM or card terminal offers to convert the amount, choose lira.
- Taxis from the airport. Guides quote a wide range, and it's several times the coach fare. The coach or metro is cheaper.
- Reseller tickets. Skip-the-line and combo products for Hagia Sophia, Topkapi and the Cistern often cost noticeably more than the official ticket, and "skip the line" usually doesn't skip security.
- Menus without prices in tourist areas.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter Hagia Sophia?
€25 for foreign visitors, paid in lira at the day's rate. Children under 8 enter free. The Museum Pass doesn't cover it.
How much is Topkapi Palace?
2,750 TL for the combined ticket (palace, Harem and Hagia Irene). It's closed on Tuesdays.
How much is the Basilica Cistern?
Most 2026 sources give 1,950 TL for the daytime ticket, with a separate 3,000 TL evening session; one August 2026 source gives 2,250 TL. Check before you go.
How much is a ride on public transport?
46.20 TL on an Istanbulkart for a standard ride. A single-use ticket is 65 TL.
How much is the airport coach?
470 TL to Taksim and Beşiktaş, 515 TL to Kadıköy.
How much money do I need per day?
About 1,000–1,400 TL on a day of free sights and street food, excluding accommodation. A day with Topkapi and Hagia Sophia comes to roughly 3,700–4,100 TL plus €25. Add accommodation separately.
Can restaurants add a service charge?
No. Since 30 January 2026, service and cover charges are banned in Türkiye.
Are prices in euros or lira?
Hagia Sophia is priced in euros and paid in lira. Most other sights are in lira. Lira prices rise with inflation, so check the day's figures.
Read also
Sources and date checked
Checked on 2 October 2026.
- Transport fares, airport coach fares, Hagia Sophia payment and scarf prices (article dated 25 September 2026, citing Metro İstanbul, Havaist and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism): https://vc.ru/travel/3159925-tseny-v-stambule-transport-muzei-i-raskhody
- Topkapi combined ticket 2,750 TL: https://istanbul.com/topkapi-palace, https://thebettervacation.com/istanbul/topkapi-palace-official-website/, https://topkapipalace.gen.tr/topkapi-palace-ticket-price/, https://muze.gen.tr/muze-detay/topkapi
- Hagia Sophia €25, Museum Pass not valid: https://istanbul.com/hagia-sophia, https://hagiasophia.tours/hagia-sophia-tickets-explained
- Basilica Cistern: https://officialguides.com/basilica-cistern-istanbul/ and https://basilicacistern-guide.com/plan-your-visit/official-website/ (1,950 TL / 3,000 TL); https://www.basilicacistern.gen.tr/basilica-cistern-ticket-price/ (2,250 TL; night session listed as temporarily unavailable)
- Museum Pass (about €105 and roughly 6,500 TL; exclusions): https://istanbul-tourist-information.com/museum-pass-istanbul/ and https://istanbul.com/blog/istanbul-museum-pass
- Service and cover charge ban (30 January 2026): https://www.turizmekonomi.com/turkiye-ends-cover-fees-introduces-taxed-digital-tipping
- Food and hotel ranges (June–September 2026): https://hotelperula.com/en/blog/istanbul-food-prices-2026/, https://thebettervacation.com/istanbul/istanbul-trip-cost/, https://www.istanbul-trip.com/guides/istanbul-travel-budget/, https://istanbeautiful.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-visit-istanbul/
- Bosphorus tour fares: WorldWalk, Bosphorus guide, citing the Şehir Hatları price list of 10 August 2026.