So, this is just a guesstimate but in the 8 days spent in Istanbul, we spent big...waaaay over our allotted $150/day budget. Even though we found a budget apartment for $68/night, we probably spent an extra $20-30/day on admission fees to attractions that weren't budgeted for. Food and drink costs, although normal for someone just coming to Istanbul on vacation, felt outrageously high for those of us who have gotten used to cheap food and beers. We spent double the amount we normally would have on food/drink. The other major cost was the $350 private market and food tasting tour by a well-known food writer. It was a worthwhile splurge for us foodies, but a definitely budget buster. Aside from the overnight train from Sofia to Istanbul, we barely took public transportation in Istanbul so our transportation cost was minimal.
If we sat in our apartment and didn't do any sightseeing, we would've stayed on budget...which would've been ridiculous. Overall, we think we spent a total of approximately $1760 or $220/day. Not bad for one of the most touristed (therefore, non-budget) destinations along our round-the-world trip.
Our next stop, Jerusalem, will be even more costly, but after that, we should make up financial ground when we get to Thailand = cheap.
