How Much Lira Should I Take When Travel to Turkey?

Turkey, one of the most popular tourist destinations, hosts many tourists every year. So, before travelling to it, certain points must be considered, including answering the question, "How Much Lira Should I Take When Travel to Turkey?" Because the correct answer can make your travel easier and more enjoyable.

The Currency of Turkey

"Lira (TL)" is the common currency and monetary unit of Turkey, equivalent to one hundred "Groschen," it can usually be used in the form of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 Lira bills; this is even though the Lira rate is relatively stable compared to other common foreign currencies. Except for cases such as the spread of Corona or the economic crisis in the world, it is considered one of the most stable currencies.

According to Turkish laws, those who intend to travel to Turkey can have a certain amount of Lira or other common currencies for their expenses.

According to Turkish laws, travelers who intend to travel to this country for reasons such as vacationing can have a maximum of $5,000 in cash with themselves. In other words, while there is no limit on the amount on your credit card, you cannot bring more than $5,000 in cash into this country.

The important point is that you can take this amount in Dollars or its equivalent in common currencies, such as Lira, Euro, etc.

Should We Take Lira or Dollars When Traveling to Turkey?

As mentioned before, every traveler can bring a maximum of 5 thousand Dollars or its equivalent in cash when traveling to Turkey's historic and beautiful country. Therefore, the common question that travelers usually ask themselves or others is: Should I take Lira or Dollars when traveling to Turkey? This question, the answer to which depends to some extent on you and your reason for traveling to Turkey, some of it can be in Lira and the rest in Dollars.

Accordingly, if your goal is to spend a vacation in Turkey, it is better to have around 2000 Liras in cash with you to pay expenses such as transportation in the city, entrance of tourist centers, food, souvenirs, etc.; in this way, you can have the remaining amount in cash in Dollars to pay expenses such as shopping at the market and shopping centers, fees of hotel and car rental in Turkey, etc.

Note, due to the smaller amount of cash that can be brought to Turkey in Dollars compared to currencies like Lira, it is a good decision to have a small part of this amount in Lira and the rest in Dollars (but this issue is largely depend on your purpose of traveling to Turkey.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Having Dollars for Traveling to Turkey

According to what has been said so far, having Dollars with you on trips aboard will reduce the amount of money you have with you due to its high value compared to most currencies of other countries. Hence, besides the fact that it is common to pay expenses when traveling to a country like Turkey with Dollars, especially for paying expenses related to hotel reservations in Istanbul (for example), you can easily manage it.

On the other hand, to pay expenses in smaller amounts, it is recommended that you have some Lira with you when traveling to Turkey; this will help you not only not have to constantly go to exchange offices to exchange Dollars for Lira but also prevent incorrect payment of expenses with a higher amount in Dollars.

Payment of Expenses in Dollars or Lira in Turkey

In general, travel expenses can be divided into two categories according to their amount. The first category is the smaller amount, and it is recommended to pay them in Lira, and the second category is high-amount expenses that are better paid in Dollars; based on this, it is recommended to pay the expenses related to the following items in the mentioned ways due to the ease of payment and easier management of expenses.

The important thing is that choosing any of the methods or applying the following recommendations completely depends on you, your budget, your expenses, travel conditions, etc., and you can consider them according to your conditions; also, note that because a trip to Istanbul is one of the most popular options for spending a vacation in Turkey, we put the recommendations and tips related to this issue based on a trip to this historical and beautiful city.

Important Note: Traveling to Turkey from most countries does not require a visa, but if you need one, you must apply for it in advance.

·        Cost of Stay in Istanbul

The beautiful city of Istanbul is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, which has been able to provide various and good accommodations for travelers so that they can choose the right one according to their budget, the number of people accompanying them, the duration of the trip and the facilities they want; these accommodations, which exist in all parts of the city, among them booking hotels (3 stars to luxury), and all kinds of furnished residences (houses, apartments, suites, and villas), are more popular among travelers.

Accordingly, not only can you pay the initial cost of renting a furnished house in Istanbul or booking a hotel in Dollars, but it will also be much easier to pay any additional costs when check-out. Please note that booking hotels in Istanbul are recommended for trips where you have traveled alone and for a short period of time, and daily rental accommodation when you have come with family members or friends for a relatively long stay.

·        Costs of Transportation in Istanbul

Normally, the costs related to transportation in Turkey can be checked in two cases, in the first case, you intend to use the public transportation means, and for this purpose, it is better to have Lira with you; the important point in this regard is that the taxi fare in Istanbul is high and you should have a relatively significant amount of Lira with you. This is while to board a bus or subway, you must have a special Istanbul ticket card and know their routes and stations well.

In the second case, renting a car in Istanbul is known as a suitable and affordable solution among travelers, and not only can you pay for it in advance in Dollars, but you can also easily go to the places you want; in other words, considering that the taxi fare from Sabiha Airport to Taksim Square is the same (only for one route), by renting a car for a full day, you can even pay for road tolls when dropping off the car to the company by Dollar.

Important Note: In some cases, travelers are not interested in driving in Turkey for various reasons, and for this reason, they are interested in renting a car with a driver (transfer), to take them from any place in the city to another place.

·        Cost of Food in Istanbul

Istanbul is a city where, in addition to the opportunity to eat a variety of local and famous dishes in its delis, you can go to its old or modern restaurants and have a tasty experience; for this purpose, you do not need to pay such expenses in Dollars, and you can pay them in Lira.

At the same time, if you have decided to rent a furnished apartment in Istanbul, considering that these residences have all the facilities of a well-equipped house, such as a kitchen and cooking equipment, you can buy food ingredients at a low cost by paying Lira, and cook them at home; note that the cost of eating at the hotel restaurant or located in the city is relatively high, so this method is much more affordable for travelers (cooking at house).

·        Cost of Shopping in Istanbul

One of the attractions of traveling to Istanbul is going to its modern shopping centers and old or local markets. You can not only visit them as a tourist attraction but also buy all kinds of necessities or items you like. Accordingly, paying for such purchases in Lira is better if you only intend to buy food, souvenirs, and some items, such as clothes, in small quantities.

At the same time, if you want to go to modern and large shopping centers or malls in Istanbul and buy various items in relatively high quantities or buy expensive electronics, it is better to have Dollars with you; but if you plan to go to the old market of Istanbul or the local markets of this city to buy things such as souvenirs or handicrafts, paying with Lira is the right decision (this issue includes purchases from supermarkets, stores, ordinary boutiques, and similar items).

·        Cost of Entertainment in Istanbul

One of the reasons why Istanbul is so popular among foreign tourists is the abundance of natural, historical, urban, cultural and artistic attractions; on the other hand, the possibility of engaging in activities such as: going to the amusement park, boating in the Sea of ​​Marmara, cruise tour, festivals, concerts, restaurants with live music, etc., are among other popular activities in Istanbul.

In this way, while you can use most of these entertainments only by paying Lira and having a happy moment, you can also register for a cruise tour and pay for it with Dollars, and have a more memorable trip.

How to Exchange Currency in Turkey

In general, you have two ways to exchange your country's currency for Lira, the first of which is to go to reputable banks or exchanges in your own country to buy Lira; but in the second method, you bring the currency of your country or Dollars to Turkey, and now you have to go to the desired centers to exchange it into Lira. In this regard, in Turkey, you can exchange currencies such as Dollars to Lira through currency exchange centers in airports, exchange offices located in the city or banks.

The important point in this regard is the difference in currency exchange rates in each of them, and this issue can be stated as follows: the lowest amount related to banks (2%), then currency exchange centers in airports (9%), and finally, in exchange offices (10%).