How I did 7 days in Istanbul on a real Pakistani budget — flights, food and all

I teach at a college in Karachi and I am not a rich man, so when my wife and I decided Istanbul would be our first proper trip abroad, I planned it like a maths problem. Here is what a careful seven days actually cost us, and where I would spend differently next time.

Getting there without crying at the fare

I watched fares for almost two months. The direct Turkish Airlines flight from Karachi was tempting but kept hovering around PKR 250,000 return per person. In the end I caught a one-stop fare via Dubai for about PKR 165,000 each by booking eight weeks out and flying mid-week. The layover added a few hours but saved us nearly PKR 170,000 between us — that is a lot of kebabs.

Where we slept

We booked a small family-run guesthouse in Sultanahmet for around PKR 7,000 a night with breakfast. Nothing fancy, but the location was unbeatable — we walked to the Blue Mosque for Fajr on our first morning, half asleep, and I will never forget hearing that azaan echo off those domes.

The Istanbulkart changed everything

My biggest tip: buy an Istanbulkart the moment you land and load it heavily. We used one card for both of us, tapping for every tram, ferry and metro. Public transport for the whole week cost us roughly PKR 9,000 total. The tourist boats wanted a fortune for a Bosphorus cruise, so we took the public commuter ferry up the strait for a fraction of the price and got the same views with locals sipping tea around us.

Eating well for very little

Food was where Istanbul spoiled us. A massive balık ekmek (grilled fish sandwich) by the Galata Bridge cost about PKR 700 and was a meal in itself. Lahmacun and a salad ran maybe PKR 900. Our most expensive dinner — a proper İskender kebab with ayran — was around PKR 2,500 for two. We averaged roughly PKR 4,000 a day for both of us eating three solid halal meals. Breakfast was free at the guesthouse, which helped enormously.

The sights we actually paid for

• Topkapı Palace — worth every rupee, especially the Holy Relics room. I stood there a long time.
• Basilica Cistern — strange and beautiful, and a cool escape on a hot afternoon.
• Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque — free, just dress modestly and bring a scarf.
• Süleymaniye Mosque terrace — free, and the best view in the city. We took our best photos here.

The week's total

Adding flights, the guesthouse, food, transport and entries, the two of us spent roughly PKR 460,000 for the entire week — flights being the biggest chunk by far. Strip out the flights and seven days in Istanbul cost us around PKR 130,000 between us. For a first international trip, that felt like a steal.

What I would do differently

I would give it eight days instead of seven and spend one full day on the Asian side in Kadıköy, which we only glimpsed. And I would buy my eSIM before leaving Karachi instead of hunting for wifi on day one. Small regrets in an otherwise perfect week. If you have been putting off your first trip abroad because it feels expensive or complicated, Istanbul is the place to start. It is forgiving, it is familiar, and it will change how you see travel.