In August, we spent a week in Istanbul meeting with my family, and the city once again left us speechless. But this time, it was not for the reason you might expect. I could write about incredible sites or delicious food (of which Istanbul has plenty), but, as a travel writer, I cannot ignore one obvious development.
Türkiye is now an uber-expensive place to visit for a tourist.
We rarely complain about how costly travel can be. But Türkiye presents a special case of prices getting out of hand.
The first warning came from my sister-in-law, who contacted me during the trip planning phase and asked me to consider Dubai over Istanbul. She compared prices in both locations and believed that Dubai was cheaper and where our dollars could stretch further. Frankly, that sounded absurd. We’d been to Türkiye many times before, and although not dirt cheap, it has always been a budget-friendly destination. Besides, Dubai cheaper than Istanbul? Really? Glitzy and luxurious Dubai? I didn’t think so.
Another reason why I wasn’t particularly concerned about the Istanbul prices was that I recently visited the city with my parents — in November 2022 — and costs were manageable. Sure, prices may have gone up a bit since then, but they increased everywhere, including the U.S.
And then we arrived in Istanbul and couldn’t believe our eyes.
Everything was so expensive.
Accommodation and restaurant prices were up, taxi fares were higher, and even prices at the bazaars have gone up. Prices have crept up for both locals and visitors, but where Türkiye really gets you as a tourist is admission fees to museums and sites. Shockingly, since our stay in November 2022, prices for main attractions for foreigners have doubled, tripled, and in some cases quadrupled.
The table below shows just how drastically prices have changed between November 2022 and August 2025:
For reference, in August 2025, the entrance fee to Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahçe Palace, Basilica Cistern, or Galata Tower was higher than that of most world-class museums: the Louvre (€ 22), the Uffizi Galleries (€ 25), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (USD $ 30), British Museum (free).
As we were scratching our heads, confused by these inflated charges, people on the Internet were outraged. I came across a Reddit thread where someone asked if they had been scammed by paying over USD $100 for two evening tickets to the Basilica Cistern. The response was that it wasn’t a scam; it was the official rate. Unless we consider current official prices a scam, which, at these levels, might not be far off. Some people vented their frustrations, while others proposed to boycott Türkiye and travel to other places.
So, what happened? Why are prices spiraling out of control?
There’s no simple answer, but one word can probably sum it up: hyperinflation.
When we went to Türkiye in November 2011, the exchange rate was 1 USD=1.8 Turkish Lira. In November 2022, the conversion rate was 1 USD=18 Lira, or, in other words, the Lira’s value dropped tenfold against the U.S. Dollar in eleven years. The decline continued, and by August 2025, the conversion rate had dramatically reached 1 USD=40 Lira. Inflation is out of control, and the Lira is in free fall. By the time you’re reading this, it may have dropped even further.
That still doesn’t explain the high costs, though. In fact, if the Lira is plummeting in value, shouldn’t it be cheaper for a foreigner to visit?
In theory, yes.
However, the Turkish government — through its Ministry of Culture and Tourism that administers key tourist sites — has decided that charging foreigners exorbitant entry fees is the way to go to save the flailing economy.
The price madness in Istanbul did not ruin our vacation. We still enjoyed the city and had a great time. Although we gave a pass to the priciest sites, we still visited a few museums and went inside numerous mosques and churches that were free to enter. Also, shopping at Istanbul bazaars is still a highlight for anyone who visits the city, and we did our best, trying to bargain the inflated prices down. Finally, public ferries on the Bosphorus are still cheap, and walking this ancient city is also free.
At the airport, as we wrapped up our stay and said goodbyes to my family, I thought about what was going to happen next. Will people stop coming to Türkiye due to cost concerns? Will the country eventually reverse the course if it notices the drop in tourist numbers? Or will prices continue rising if the Lira continues its fall?
Only time will tell.
But for now, maybe we can book tickets to Dubai next time?
