Check out this post — Expense Report: Pre-Trip Costs — for a better understanding of other costs associated with a RTW trip, as well as a definition of my travel style and how it impacts my budget.

Much like my time in Israel, I was joined by my uncle and sister for the first few days in Turkey… plus I received a few generous blog discounts. So this budget is a little skewed by shared costs and a different level of accommodation and dining. I’ll explain more below about how these numbers vary from a typical flashpacker’s Turkish budget, and what you can expect to pay if you’re traveling here solo.

Here’s what I spent in U.S. dollars over 17 nights in Turkey:

• Accommodation = $230 … $13.52 per night
• Food =  $218 … $12.82 per day
• Groceries =  $7.50 … $0.44 per day
• Coffee =  $53.50 … $3.14 per day
• Activities =  $316 … $18.58 per day
• Cell & Wifi =  $50 … $2.94 per day
• Transportation =  $295 … $17.35 per day
• Miscellaneous =  $66.50 … $3.91 per day

And the grand total for 17 nights in Turkey is…:

$1,236.50 USD, which works out to $72.74 per day.

Here’s how those numbers compare with other countries I’ve traveled to:

• My daily average in Cook Islands: $157.05
• My daily average in New Zealand: $88.56
• My daily average in Australia: $83.37
• My daily average in Singapore: $78.86
• My daily average in Indonesia: $51.34
• My daily average in Malaysia: $117.09
• My daily average in Palau: $160.91
• My daily average in Philippines: $49.21
• My daily average in Japan: $89.55
• My daily average in Nepal: $75.42
• My daily average in Jordan: $68.88
• My daily average in Israel: $70.62
• My daily average in Turkey: $72.42

A hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia? Priceless.

A few notes:

• I used xe.com in early December to calculate the exchange rate and at that point in time, 1 TRY (Turkish Lira) = .50 USD.
• I received two discounts in Turkey in exchange for my photography services and blog coverage: a two-night stay at the Taskonaklar Hotel ($330 USD total, based on their fall 2013 off-season rate) and a hot air balloon rides with Voyager Balloons ($220 USD — only counting one balloon ride, as the second was just for additional photos). Total discount: $550 USD. These costs are important to note because if you’re going to Turkey, odds are you’ll want to experience a balloon ride and a cave hotel, and should set your budget accordingly. If I factor in just one night at the cave hotel plus the balloon ride into my current budget, my daily spending average jumps up to $95/day instead of $73/day. Still not bad! I think Turkey is a high value destination, especially in the off-season.
• I did not include my flights into or out of Turkey, as those will be accounted for in a separate post documenting my international airfare budget. I flew once domestically within Turkey, from Cappadocia back to Istanbul (this is included under the transportation slice of the budget pie). Side note: originally I intended to fly to Mt. Nemrut in the far east, going so far as to book flights on Turkish Airlines (paying slightly more for a flexible fare). When the area around Mt. Nemrut became snowed in just days before I was due to arrive, I cancelled my flights and received a full refund from Turkish Airlines. Rarely do I praise an airline, but I am so pleased with their customer service — I called and spoke to an actual person who got me a refund within minutes.
• I purchased a TurkCell SIM card at the airport in Istanbul. For around $50, I got a generous data plan plus local calling and texting. While this is more than I would’ve liked to pay (it came to about $3/day), it was worth it for the connectivity. I continue to use the Viber app to communicate for free with my friends and family back home.
• I continue to use my Charles Schwab debit card to avoid international ATM fees.
• As I mentioned above, my sister and uncle traveled with me for the first three nights (accommodation generously covered by our uncle). Plus I got two nights free in Cappadocia, so my average nightly budget is a little low — my best guess is that it costs about $22/night for a dorm room in Istanbul or a tad more for a private room with bathroom in other parts of the country. I scored great prices on private rooms in Pamukkale, Kas, and Antalya because I was there during the low season and most places were empty.
• My food budget is especially low. Apart from the first few days where I enjoyed nice meals with family, I went super-budget and ate lunch (and sometimes dinner) for as little as $2.50, for a chicken kebab and side salad. Even my more lavish solo meals fell under $10.
• I did not buy any souvenirs in Turkey.
• A few items under the miscellaneous slice of the pie include… visa on arrival ($20 USD), postcards & stamps ($8), and laundry x2 ($20 total — ouch).

If you’re planning your own trip to Turkey or just curious about the costs of visiting this part of the world, I hope this budget breakdown has been helpful!