Travel Costs Breakdown – Lagos, Nigeria to Turkey

How much should you plan for your leisure travel from Nigeria to Turkey? In this post, I’ll be sharing details of the costs of travelling from Lagos, Nigeria to Istanbul and Cappadocia, Turkey. I made this trip from Nairobi, and apart from the costs of flights, everything else is applicable when travelling from Nigeria.

This breakdown is based solely on our experience and is only intended for trip planning and to present a fair idea of how much to budget. All prices stated here are either approximate values (rounded up to the nearest whole number) or exact values at the time of this writing. A cost breakdown summary is available at the end of the post.

Nigeria to Turkey
Note: This was a mid-budget trip. For simplicity, prices have been converted at 8.6TL to 1 USD. 
Holm Cafe Zamalek

Trip Planning Resources

Book your accommodation: Find accommodation options for any budget on Booking.com

Purchase Travel Insurance: I use SafetyWing for both my travel and visa application needs

Activities: Find fun activities and tours in your destination via Get Your Guide, Viator or Klook Travel

eSIM: Get your travel eSIM here

Getting to Turkey: How to Get a Visa from Nigeria to Turkey?

Nigerian citizens visiting Turkey for tourism require a visa. You are eligible to get a Turkish evisa ($50) if you have a valid visa or resident permit to the US, UK, Ireland and the Schengen zone. If you don’t meet these criteria, you would need to apply for a sticker visa through the approved application centres.

In this post, I have written about the entire process of the Turkey visa application. It contains details on visa requirements, documents, processing time, fees and more.

Istanbul

Getting to Turkey: How much is a flight ticket from Lagos to Istanbul?

The easiest and fastest way to travel from Nigeria to Turkey is via a direct flight to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines. The cost of the return flight tickets from Lagos to Istanbul will vary depending on your travel dates, so be sure to check the airline’s website for an updated price. We flew from Nairobi to Istanbul and Cappadocia and paid $850 each for a return ticket.

When I checked how much it costs to fly from Lagos to Istanbul for our dates, the price was ₦415,551 on Travelstart and $970 on Turkish Airlines.

Cost-saving Tip: Airlines, such as Egyptair and Ethiopian Airlines, usually offer cheaper flights to Turkey. The compromise is a longer commute time. Also, if you're travelling to Cappadocia, you can shave off around $100 from your ticket price on Turkish Airlines if you book your Nevşehir leg separately.
TurkishAirlines
Travel Tip: Try as much as possible to book directly with the airlines, rather than through a third party. This makes it easier to manage your flights in case you have any reasons to cancel or change dates.

Transportation in Turkey

In Cappadocia, we decided to rent a car and this cost us $269 for 5 days (inclusive of fuel and insurance). While in Istanbul, we got around using the public transportation systems including ferries, buses and trams. We also walked around a lot.

For public transportation, we used the Istanbulkart to get everywhere and I highly recommend getting one if you’ll be staying in the city for a few days.

How to get IstanbulKart scaled

Getting to and from Istanbul from the airport cost us a total of $35. We used the Uber app to hail rides to and from the airport.

Cost-saving Tip: Should you decide not to rent a car in Cappadocia, there are daily tours that leave from Gorome to all the major sights. Ask your hotel about the blue, red and green tours.

Accommodation in Turkey

We stayed in 5 hotels between Cappadocia and Istanbul. In Cappadocia, we stayed at the Osmanli Cappadocia hotel, Local Cave House and Mithra Hotel – and we loved them all! Osmanli Cappadocia Hotel cost us $47 per night, Local Cave House cost us $57 per night, and Mithra was $97 per night.

These hotels fall within the median range for accommodation in Cappadocia. You’ll find several hotels and hostels for less or more, depending on your style and budget.

Mithra Cave Hotel
Local Cave House Travel with a Pen
Turkey Cappadocia Hot Air Balloons

In Istanbul, we stayed at Dauria Galata Flats and Henna Istanbul. I chose these places because of their proximity to Galata Towers and environs and Sultanahmet – where the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia are located.

My favourite things about the Dauria Flats were the location and the fact that it had a laundry machine, which came in quite handy during our stay. On the downside, the flat we stayed in had a ‘funky smell’ when we walked in. Luckily, we spent most of our time outside!

As for Henna Hotel, I also loved its location (only 5 minutes’ walk to the Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia). The hotel terrace and coffee shop were also highlights of our stay here.

Dauria Galata Flats cost us $24 per night, while Henna Hotel was $66 per night.

Henna Hotel Istanbul scaled

Feeding & Entertainment

Our total food tab for 10 days came up to $672. If you’re looking to save costs, I think this is one place you can cut down on as food is quite cheap in Turkey. Some of the restaurants we dined at were wonderful but not very budget-traveller friendly but you will not be hard-pressed to find cheap meals both in Istanbul and Cappadocia.

Best restaurants in Cappadocia

As for entertainment and sightseeing, our total cost came up to $325. Our biggest single expense was the hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia which took $223 of the total entertainment cost. It was worth every penny!

Cost-saving Tip: If you're not willing to fork out $100+ to go up in a hot air balloon, you can enjoy the views from below at the numerous view points available.
Voyager Balloon Flight Turkey

I have written a series of posts about how we spent our 2 weeks’ holiday in Turkey. You can find them here.

Studio Istanbul Nova Santiye Cafe

Here’s an overview of everything we spent, excluding shopping (about $200). Unfortunately, I would have to quote the prices in dollars as the price for Naira keeps changing drastically. I feel this would give you a better guide to planning your travels.

Again, this breakdown is based solely on my experience and is only intended for trip planning and to present a fair idea of how much to budget. All prices stated here are either approximate values or exact values at the time of this writing.

Items, ActivitiesPrices
($) x 1 pax
Comments
Flights from Nairobi to Istanbul & Cappadocia850Book your flights separately to save about $100
Visa186Costs $50 for an evisa
Accommodation in Istanbul90Prices are based on 2 people sharing for 4 nights
Accommodation in Cappadocia202Prices are based on 2 people sharing 6 nights
Feeding for 10 days336Can be cheaper. See notes above
Tours20Entrances to the valleys & underground cities
Photoshoots: Galerie Ikman, Studio Istanbul45I had to!
Hot Air Balloon Flight112with Voyager Balloons
Transportation: Airport transfers, transfers within the city149Rental car, fuel, IstanbulKart and airport Ubers
Covid-19 PCR Test – Nairobi60Home service
Covid-19 PCR Test – Istanbul30Hotel service
Total costs for 1 person (x10 days)2,080

PS: The prices for the accommodation are based on two people sharing a room. Usually, there is a single supplement to be paid if you travel alone.

Cappadocia Uchisar

I hope you find this Nigeria to Turkey cost breakdown useful. Please leave me a comment to let me know what you think / if you have any questions!

And don’t forget to share (on Twitter) and follow my adventures on Instagram

23 comments

  1. I want to know the exact amount it will take me to be in turkey from Lagos Nigeria to turkey and house 🏠 rent on cheap prices

I love to hear from you, Leave a comment here!

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Help! Why are we losing home and away! 😭🤣 God abeg!

I will resume my complaining once we fix our visa process/make it more accessible for other African travellers!

Side bar: if you have connections in Vietnam, please DM me! 😭😂 I still want to go!
Help! Why are we losing home and away! 😭🤣 God abeg! I will resume my complaining once we fix our visa process/make it more accessible for other African travellers! Side bar: if you have connections in Vietnam, please DM me! 😭😂 I still want to go!
1 day ago
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1/9
Mount Kilimanjaro and giraffes - I could cry! 🥹

If you're looking for a great weekend trip from Nairobi to change the pace, Amboseli National Park is truly one of the best places to visit!

For a road trip that's only about 4-5 hours from Nairobi, you get epic views of Mount Kilimanjaro, large elephant herds and if you pick the right lodge, you can watch incredible wildlife come and go, right from the comfort of your dining table or even your room!
Mount Kilimanjaro and giraffes - I could cry! 🥹 If you're looking for a great weekend trip from Nairobi to change the pace, Amboseli National Park is truly one of the best places to visit! For a road trip that's only about 4-5 hours from Nairobi, you get epic views of Mount Kilimanjaro, large elephant herds and if you pick the right lodge, you can watch incredible wildlife come and go, right from the comfort of your dining table or even your room!
1 day ago
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2/9
💙
💙
7 days ago
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3/9
It was a rainy morning in Nairobi and we went on a walk with the pup 🐶
It was a rainy morning in Nairobi and we went on a walk with the pup 🐶
7 days ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
A not-so-hidden gem in South Korea 🇰🇷 

Suncheon Bay National Garden is absolutely worth visiting.😍
A not-so-hidden gem in South Korea 🇰🇷 Suncheon Bay National Garden is absolutely worth visiting.😍
1 week ago
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5/9
Everyday is a pleasant surprise! 🌻🥹
Everyday is a pleasant surprise! 🌻🥹
1 week ago
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6/9
Oh please, add Gyeongju to your South Korean itinerary! 🇰🇷

It's a charming, beautiful and walkable city that I think is worth visiting. 

When I visited the country for the first time, I picked Jeonju over Gyeongju. Not much thought went into that decision. I just did it - no regrets.

Luckily I got to revisit and what a joy! It's magical in every way! ✨️
Oh please, add Gyeongju to your South Korean itinerary! 🇰🇷 It's a charming, beautiful and walkable city that I think is worth visiting. When I visited the country for the first time, I picked Jeonju over Gyeongju. Not much thought went into that decision. I just did it - no regrets. Luckily I got to revisit and what a joy! It's magical in every way! ✨️
1 week ago
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7/9
Natural, Unfiltered Beauty! 🌸💙

The cherry blossoms were late but that itself was a blessing. I was happy to get clear, gorgeous views of Mount Fuji!

Oh, this trip - this country! Some places leave a permanent mark. This was one of them!
Natural, Unfiltered Beauty! 🌸💙 The cherry blossoms were late but that itself was a blessing. I was happy to get clear, gorgeous views of Mount Fuji! Oh, this trip - this country! Some places leave a permanent mark. This was one of them!
1 week ago
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8/9
Oh, this charming town! 💙

Beautiful cobbled-stone streets, a gorgeous trail that leads to yet another beautiful well-preserved Edo-period post town, temples and shrines... this is Magome-Juku 

If you plan to visit, I recommend staying a night or two. Accommodation is quite limited and everything shuts down by 5pm.

We stayed at Magomechaya for 2 nights. This place has both hostels and private rooms and our stay was absolutely wonderful. I'd definitely revisit!
Oh, this charming town! 💙 Beautiful cobbled-stone streets, a gorgeous trail that leads to yet another beautiful well-preserved Edo-period post town, temples and shrines... this is Magome-Juku If you plan to visit, I recommend staying a night or two. Accommodation is quite limited and everything shuts down by 5pm. We stayed at Magomechaya for 2 nights. This place has both hostels and private rooms and our stay was absolutely wonderful. I'd definitely revisit!
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
9/9
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