Fair prices in Turquia — what things really cost

The metered fare from Antalya Airport to the centre runs a bit over the equivalent of €12-13. A pre-booked private transfer costs more but is fixed in advance, which some travellers prefer at night.

Buy an AntalyaKart from a machine at the airport or a tram stop; cash fares on the tram and bus cost noticeably more than card fares, and bus 600 to the airport takes card only.

Restaurants a street or two back from the harbour in Kaleiçi are generally better value than the waterfront tables. Always check that prices are printed on the menu.

The small entry fee covers the nature park and viewing platforms near the upper falls; the lower falls by the coast can usually be viewed free from public clifftop spots.

Buy your ticket at the site gate or in advance online. Combine the visit with the nearby Aspendos aqueduct ruins, which are outside the main ticketed area.

Municipality-run (EKDAĞ) sections of Konyaaltı and Lara charge a modest daily rate for a sunbed and umbrella; private beach clubs attached to hotels charge several times more for extra facilities.

One of the pricier museum tickets in the city, but it covers an extensive collection. Free for children under 8 and included on the Museum Pass Turkey where accepted.

One combined ticket covers the castle grounds and museum halls. Buy online in advance in peak season to skip the entrance queue.

The airport sits around 35km from central Bodrum, so a taxi genuinely costs more than a short in-town ride. Confirm a rough price with the driver or use a pre-booked transfer if you prefer certainty.

Shared minibuses are the cheapest way to reach Gümbet, Bitez, Turgutreis and other bay towns. Have small notes ready and confirm the destination before boarding.

Prices vary by season, operator and how far in advance you book; car ferries cost more than foot-passenger tickets. Bring your passport, as this is an international crossing even though the islands are close.

Marina-front restaurants charge a premium for the view; walking a street or two back into the old town usually gets the same quality of Aegean cooking for less.

Compare a few operators at the harbour or book through your hotel rather than the first tout you meet. Confirm what's included (lunch, drinks, number of swim stops) before paying.

Casual, sunbed-only sections cost far less than the high-end clubs in Yalıkavak or Türkbükü, which often set a hefty minimum spend rather than a simple entry fee. Ask about the minimum spend before sitting down.

Prices swing with season and demand and are set in a regulated system. Be sceptical of unusually cheap offers, and book a licensed operator directly rather than through a pushy street agent.

Shared shuttles from Kayseri or Nevsehir airports to Goreme are cheap and easy to book in advance. A private transfer costs much more for the same trip.

A cave room is part of the experience. Confirm whether a balloon-view terrace and breakfast are included, and book ahead in peak season when good rooms sell out.

Village restaurants a street back from the main square offer better value. Try the local clay-pot stew, which is a regional speciality.

Cappadocia has its own vineyards and the local wine is a fair-priced treat. Prices climb at view terraces, so a normal restaurant is better value.

A popular way to see the valleys at sunset. Agree the route and duration first, and confirm whether fuel and any deposit are included in the quoted price.

A car makes reaching the underground cities and outer villages easy. Distances are short, so fuel costs stay modest. Check the insurance excess before signing.

The cheapest way in is the shared dolmus or shuttle bus for the roughly 50 km ride, taking about an hour. Buses run frequently in summer; buy a ticket at the desk and keep small lira handy. A private transfer or taxi is far more expensive but door to door.

An airport taxi to Fethiye is convenient with luggage or late at night but costs many times the shuttle fare. Agree the price before setting off, or pre-book a fixed-price private transfer online, which is often cheaper and clearer than a taxi at the rank.

Shared dolmus minibuses are the cheap, normal way to reach Oludeniz, Calis Beach, Kayakoy and nearby villages. You pay a small flat fare to the driver, often passed hand to hand down the bus. Keep small change and just say when you want to get off.

A classic full-day boat trip around the bay's islands and swimming coves, usually including lunch. Compare a few boats at the harbour, check whether lunch and drinks are included, and be aware that on-board drinks and optional extras add up.

Tandem flights from Babadag are a fixed activity price that usually includes the jeep transfer up the mountain; video and photos often cost extra. Prices are broadly similar between operators, so choose on safety record and reviews rather than the lowest quote.

At the covered fish market you buy fish by weight from a stall, then pay a set cover charge per person at a surrounding restaurant to grill it with salad and bread. Confirm the price per kilo and the cover charge in advance so the total is no surprise.

Freshly griddled gozleme flatbread from a market or roadside stall is a cheap, filling snack. Watch it made to order and pick savoury cheese, spinach or potato, or a sweet version. The weekly markets are the best and cheapest place to try it.

A tulip glass of black tea is inexpensive and offered almost everywhere, sometimes free while you browse a shop. A cafe on the marina costs a little more than a back-street tea garden, but both are normal, not a scam.

Istanbul Airport is far from the centre, so a legitimate metered taxi is genuinely expensive. Insist on the meter and be aware the metro plus tram is far cheaper.

The official airport shuttle to central districts is a comfortable budget option. Pay with IstanbulKart or card and check which stop is closest to your hotel.

Buy an IstanbulKart from a machine and load credit. One card can pay for several people, and each tram, metro or bus ride is very cheap.

Eat one street back from the main tourist squares for better prices. Check that prices are printed on the menu before ordering.

Tea is cheap almost everywhere. Be wary only of venues with no visible prices, especially near major sights.

Street snacks are excellent value. A simit from a cart or a doner from a busy local spot costs a fraction of sit-down prices.

The regular municipal ferries give you the same Bosphorus views as a tour for the price of a normal transport ride. Pay with IstanbulKart.

The IZBAN suburban train has a station right at the airport terminal and runs to the centre and Alsancak in around half an hour for a very low fare. Buy an Izmirimkart travel card or a single ticket at the machines; it is by far the cheapest way into the city.

Havas coaches run from the airport to central stops like Alsancak and are a comfortable middle option, more than the train but far less than a taxi. Pay the driver or at the desk, and allow extra time in traffic.

A taxi from Adnan Menderes to central Izmir is convenient with luggage but the priciest option. Insist on the meter or agree the fare first, and use the official rank rather than a driver who approaches you inside the terminal.

City taxis are cheap and metered. Make sure the driver starts the meter, keep Google Maps open to follow the route, and have small cash. Apps like BiTaksi or Uber, which dispatch licensed taxis, remove most fare arguments.

A sit-down meal at a good local restaurant or a Kordon meyhane (tavern) is fair value. Prices climb on the seafront terraces, so a street back is often cheaper and just as good. Check whether seafood is priced by weight before ordering.

Izmir's street breakfast is a bargain: a flaky boyoz, a sesame gevrek ring, a stuffed kumru sandwich or a paper of stuffed mussels costs very little. Buy from busy stalls with high turnover for the freshest food.

A tulip glass of black tea (cay) or a small cup of Turkish coffee costs little and is part of daily life. A cafe on the Kordon costs more than a bazaar stall, but both are normal, not a scam.

Priced in euros for stability against the lira, this single ticket covers the travertines, Hierapolis ruins and the small archaeology museum. Children under 8 enter free.

Paid on top of the base site ticket. Bring a swimsuit and a dry bag, as lockers are limited and the pool area gets crowded by midday.

A cheap shared shuttle timed to flights runs between the small Denizli airport and the bus terminal; from there a dolmuş continues to Pamukkale village.

Shared minibuses leave a dedicated bay in the Denizli bus terminal every 15-20 minutes and take you straight to the village centre. Avoid anyone at the terminal offering a private car instead of the dolmuş.

Pamukkale village restaurants are used to tourist trade; prices are broadly reasonable but check the menu before ordering, especially for fixed-price tourist set menus.

Prices vary by season and what's included (hotel transfer, snacks, certificate). Ask upfront whether photos and video are included, as several operators charge extra for footage after the flight.

Small family-run pensions in the village are good value and often include a home-cooked breakfast. Book ahead in the busiest spring and autumn weekends.

Trabzon Airport sits just east of the city, so a taxi ride to the centre is short and should be cheap. Ask for the meter or agree the fare first, and consider the airport minibus or city bus, which cost a fraction of a taxi.

Dolmuş minibuses are the workhorse of local transport and very cheap, running fixed routes across the city and to nearby towns. Pay the driver in cash and just call out when you want to get off.

A sit-down meal at a normal local restaurant is good value away from the main square. Look for places busy with locals, and check whether fish is priced by the portion or by weight before ordering.

A spread-style breakfast (serpme kahvaltı) built around kuymak and local cheese is a Trabzon highlight and often shareable. Order it for the table and you may not need much lunch afterwards.

Pan-fried Black Sea anchovies are a cheap, fresh local staple, best in the cooler months when the catch is in. A plate with salad, cornbread and lemon is filling and inexpensive at a simple fish restaurant.

Turkish tea grown on the nearby Black Sea slopes is everywhere and costs very little, served in small tulip glasses. Sitting in a tea garden over several glasses is a normal, cheap way to pass an afternoon.

Shared day tours to Sumela Monastery or Uzungöl are the easy way to reach them without a car, usually with hotel pickup. Compare a couple of operators, confirm what the price includes, and check whether the Sumela entry ticket is extra.