Which place is cheaper, Guatemala City or Istanbul?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Istanbul or Guatemala City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Istanbul or Guatemala City, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Istanbul or Guatemala City?
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.
Guatemala City
Referred to by the locals as "Guate," Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala, as well as its capital. While the atmosphere of the place is big, dirty, and dangerous with city fumes and skyscrapers, it is the hub of the country. It is the place where travelers first step foot into Guatemala and, though it is a place of modern chaos, it does have some of the best galleries and museums as well as a selection of bars, cafes, and restaurants.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Turkey, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala.
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Istanbul Prices
Turkey PricesGuatemala City Prices
Guatemala Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIstanbul $179Guatemala City $56
The average daily cost (per person) in Istanbul is $179, while the average daily cost in Guatemala City is $56. 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 Istanbul and Guatemala City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIstanbul $83Guatemala City $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIstanbul $166Guatemala City $48
Compare Hotels in Istanbul and Guatemala City
Looking for a hotel in Istanbul or Guatemala City? 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: Istanbul Hotel Prices and Guatemala City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Istanbul $39Guatemala City $6.25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Princes Island Tour with Lunch and Transfer: $19
- Sapanca and Masukiye Day Trip with Lunch and Hotel Transfer: $23
- Princes' Islands Cruise with Lunch and Transfer Full-Day Tour: $25
- Narita Airport to Tokyo one way Transfer : $28
- Transfer Istanbul City Center to Istanbul Ataturk Airport: $29
- Transfer Istanbul Ataturk Airport (ISL) to City Center: $29
- Bursa Uludağ Mountain Tour From Istanbul w/Lunch & Hotel Transfer: $29
- Private Istanbul Cruise Port(Galataport) Transfer hotel-airport: $30
- Istanbul Airport (IST) Private Arrival and Departure Transfer: $30
- Galataport Private Transfer to Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia: $30
- Guided Byzantine & Bosphorus Tour with Transfer In Istanbul: $30
- Private Istanbul Airport Transfer to Blue Mosque Sultan Ahmet: $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guatemala City
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Antigua: $16
- Private Ground Transfer Airport - Antigua Guatemala: $25
- Private Airport Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $25
- Private Airport Transfer La Aurora airport to Guatemala: $26
- Private Airport Transfer from Guatemala to La Aurora airport: $26
- Private Transfer from La Aurora International Airport to Antigua: $28
- Airport Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $33
- Private Arrival Transfer: La Aurora International Airport to Antigua Hotel: $35
- Guatemala Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $56
- Private transfer Guatemala airport to Antigua.: $60
- Private transfer from Airport to Panajachel: $65
- Private Transfer From La Aurora AirPort to Panajachel Atitlan : $67
Is it cheaper to fly into Istanbul or Guatemala City?
Prices for flights to both Guatemala City and Istanbul 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 dayIstanbul $66Guatemala City $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Istanbul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Istanbul.
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Night Show: $24
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Show and Private Table: $30
- Bosphorus Night Cruise with Dinner, Shows and Party : $30
- Budget Evening Cruise: Dinner, Live Shows & Party: $30
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Dance Shows with Private Table: $31
- Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise Dinner, Drinks & Show with Pickup: $32
- Dinner Cruise On The Bosphorus with Turkish night show: $34
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Entertaintment & Private Table & Wi-Fi: $36
- Bosphorus Evening Cruise: Dinner, Live Shows & Private Table: $36
- Luxury Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Shows Private Table & Free Wi-Fi: $36
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Drinks and Shows: $41
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Folk Dance and Live Performances: $42
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guatemala City
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guatemala City.
- PRIVATE MAYAN COOKING CLASS WITH CHEF EN Guatemala City: $65
- Small-Group Cooking Class in Antigua from Guatemala City: $120
- Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza Surrounded by The Volcano: $175
- Antigua Market, Cooking Class and Choco Museum from Guatemala City: $188
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Istanbul $43Guatemala City $1.22
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- Istanbul Culture History and UNESCO Treasures Kickstart Tour: $3.59
- Highlights of Istanbul Walking Tour: $3.61
- Istanbul Self Guided Walking Tour : $5.00
- Alternative Tour; Daily Life, Customs, Stories - Tip Based Tour: $5.00
- Istanbul Sites: Peel back the layers of Turkish history a self-guided audio tour: $5.40
- Bosphorus Explorer: 3-Hour Cruise with Asian Side Visit: $7.21
- Bosphorus Boat Tour 3 Hour with Asian Side Stop in Istanbul: $7.21
- Istanbul Bosphorus Tour With Whirling Dervish Show: $7.55
- Kadikoy's history, theatres and sweet shops: a self-guided audio tour: $8.99
- Istanbul Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Istanbul Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise with Audio Guide: $9.02
- Istanbul, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar Walk Tour: $9.61
Tours and Activities in Guatemala City
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Guatemala City are as follows:
- Half Day Guatemala City Tour: $27
- 2-Hour Culture and Historical Tour From Guatemala: $29
- Half Day Antigua Guatemala Tour: $30
- Guatemala city Walking Tour and public bus: $30
- Walking Tour of Guatemala City's Historical Center: $35
- Graffiti Walking Tour in 4 Grados Norte Guatemala City : $35
- Private Tour: Antigua Guatemala Walking Tour from Antigua Guatemala: $35
- Guatemala city walking tour on afternoon 14.00, 2 persons and up: $39
- Private Tour in the Historic Center of Guatemala City: $45
- City walking tour Guatemala City and Relieff Map: $47
- Private Night City Photo Tour in Guatemala: $50
- Historical and natural bike tour in Guatemala City: $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIstanbul $12Guatemala City $6.93
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Famous Istanbul Pub Crawl #1 Nightlife Experience: $28
- Istanbul Nightlife Pub Crawl Pub and İstanbul Club Adventure: $30
- Pub Crawl Istanbul / Rooftop Clubs & Party Bus: $30
- Istanbul Pub Crawl: Adults-Only Nightlife Adventure: $31
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $78
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries : $210
Sample the Local Flavors in Guatemala City
Also in Guatemala City, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Guatemala City Legends Tour + Craft Beers at El Cadejo Brewery: $105
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Istanbul and Guatemala City, we can see that Istanbul is more expensive. And not only is Guatemala City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Istanbul is in Europe and Guatemala City is in Central America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Guatemala City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guatemala City and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Istanbul would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Istanbul than you might in Guatemala City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Istanbul Expensive? and Is Guatemala City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Istanbul or Guatemala City?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Guatemala City. When comparing the sizes of Istanbul and Guatemala City, 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.
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.