Quick Answer
How much does eating out in Turkey cost?
A three-course dinner at a mid-range Turkish restaurant costs €10–18 per person including a drink. A lokanta lunch (traditional set menu) costs €3–5. Seafood or tourist-area restaurants run €20–35 per person. Alcohol adds significantly — a beer costs €3–6 at a restaurant. Turkey is excellent value compared to Western Europe: a full evening meal with wine for two costs €30–45 at a good mid-range restaurant.
Restaurant Tiers and Prices
Lokanta (Traditional Set-Lunch)
€3–6 / personTraditional workers' lunch restaurants serving 2–3 courses from a displayed set menu. Soup, main (typically stew, legumes or grilled meat), rice and bread. No alcohol. No tablecloths. Pure value.
Typical dishes
Mercimek corbasi (lentil soup), etli nohut (lamb chickpea stew), pilav
Tipping
Tipping not expected — some leave €0.50–1
English menu
Rarely — point at dishes on display
Kebab / Pide Restaurant
€5–10 / personThe staple Turkish restaurant. Adana kebab, shish kebab, pide (Turkish flatbread pizza). Often family-run. No-frills interior but very good food. Wide variation in quality.
Typical dishes
Adana kebab, tavuk shish, lahmacun, mixed grill
Tipping
Round up to nearest 10-20 lira / 5–10%
English menu
Often photo menus or bilingual menus in tourist areas
Mid-Range Restaurant
€10–18 / personSit-down restaurant with table service, full menu, alcohol available. Mix of Turkish and international options. Where most expats eat regularly. Good food at very reasonable prices by European standards.
Typical dishes
Meze platters, seafood, Turkish classics, salads
Tipping
10–15%
English menu
Usually bilingual; staff often speak basic English
Tourist / Waterfront Restaurant
€15–30 / personSea-view or tourist-area restaurants with higher prices, often lower value. Beautiful settings but 50–100% markup vs equivalent food inland. Worth it occasionally for the setting; not for everyday dining.
Typical dishes
Seafood meze, fish dishes, international options
Tipping
10–15%
English menu
Always English; sometimes multiple languages
Fine Dining
€30–70 / personIstanbul and Bodrum have genuine fine dining scenes. Wine pairing, tasting menus, celebrity chefs. Significantly cheaper than comparable European fine dining. Istanbul in particular has world-class restaurants.
Typical dishes
Modern Turkish tasting menus, Bosphorus-view restaurants, international cuisine
Tipping
15–20%
English menu
Always; English-speaking sommelier common
City-by-City Price Comparison
Same meal, different city — how Istanbul, Antalya, Izmir and Bodrum compare on restaurant prices (EUR per person).
| Dish / Meal | Istanbul | Antalya | Izmir | Bodrum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kebab plate (400g) | €12 | €9 | €10 | €14 |
| Seafood meze (per person) | €20 | €16 | €15 | €22 |
| Local lunch (lokanta) | €5 | €4 | €4 | €6 |
| Mid-range dinner (2 courses) | €18 | €14 | €13 | €20 |
| Pizza / pasta (mid restaurant) | €12 | €10 | €10 | €14 |
| Breakfast at cafe | €8 | €6 | €7 | €9 |
Green = cheapest city for that meal. Prices are per person approximations.
Drinks Prices at Restaurants
| Drink | Price Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Turkish cay (tea) | €0.30–0.80 | Ubiquitous; many cafes give it free |
| Turkish coffee | €1.00–2.50 | Small cup but strong; mid-range cafes |
| Espresso (specialty cafe) | €2.00–4.00 | Growing specialty coffee scene in major cities |
| Ayran (yogurt drink) | €0.50–1.50 | Traditional drink with meals; very refreshing |
| Beer (Efes/Tuborg 50cl, restaurant) | €3.00–6.00 | Alcohol heavily taxed; beer is cheapest option |
| Turkish wine (glass) | €5.00–12.00 | Good quality at mid price; bottle in restaurant €15–30 |
| Raki (glass) | €4.00–8.00 | National spirit; served with water and meze |
| Cocktail | €8.00–15.00 | Tourist/bar venues; well-made in upmarket bars |
Alcohol note: Turkey has very high alcohol taxes (ÖTV). Beer and wine are 3–5x more expensive at restaurants than grocery stores. Non-drinkers or those who drink primarily at home will save significantly on their monthly food budget.
Tipping Culture in Turkey
| Venue Type | Expected Tip | Practical Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Lokanta / street food | Not expected | Leave 5–10 lira if the service was good; not obligatory |
| Casual restaurant | 5–10% | Round up the bill generously; servers earn low base wages |
| Mid-range restaurant | 10% | Cash tip directly to server preferred over card addition |
| Fine dining | 10–15% | Standard tip; may already be included (servis ücreti) — check bill |
| Cafe / bar | Rounding up | Not expected for counter service; 10% for table service |
| Delivery orders | 10–15 TRY | Small cash tip to delivery driver is appreciated |
Monthly Dining Budget Examples
Eating out 2x per week
Budget-conscious, mostly home cooking
€60–90
2 mid-range dinners/week + occasional lokanta lunches
Eating out 4x per week
Comfortable lifestyle, mix of cooking and dining
€150–220
2 dinners + 2 lunches out per week at mid-range venues
Eating out 6–7x per week
Minimal home cooking, sociable lifestyle
€300–450
Regular mid-range dinners, drinks included, weekend treats