Is 10 Turkish lira a good tip?
As a general rule, expect to tip around 10% of the bill. If you get exceptionally good service, say thank you with a tip closer to 15-20%. Whether you're tipping with cash or card, always use the local currency to save money. Use the Wise travel money card.
As a rule of thumb, you are expected to tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars. Hotel staff expect, depending on their duties, between 2-10 Euro for their services. Turks don't tip taxi drivers, but round up cab fares.
20 lira is a good tip and you won't feel the need to tip so often. Unless of course you want to.
About.com has a Tipping Guide for travelers that further suggests that the tour guide should receive a tip of 10% to 20% of the tour cost. As a last thought, the guide still needs to earn his or her tip. Just with any other profession, the tip should match the level of service.
Tipping: It is customary to leave a tip in restaurants (10%), for hotel chambermaids, in reception for hotel staff . Taxi drivers do not normally expect a tip, but they do appreciate it, and it's acceptable to "round up" the fare.
You should plan to spend around TRY434 ($23) per day on your vacation in Turkey, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, TRY135 ($7.29) on meals for one day and TRY67 ($3.58) on local transportation.
If you are in holiday in an all inclusive hotel, it is recommended to tip 50 Tl or 100 Tl to one barmen you like in order to take faster and better quality service. If you are also satisfied from room cleaning you can also tip at the end of your holiday 50 to 100 Tl to the room cleaners.
The currency of Turkey is the Lira (TL).
We always advise changing your sterling before you travel for the best rates.
5 answers. They will happily accept either form of currency. The vendors will all know the current exchange rate, however watch out as they will likely try to "blag it" in their favour slightly. Whichever currency you decide to use ensure that you are aware of the current exchange rate so you don't get ripped off.
If you know about the local currency and use of ATMs, Banks, and other currencies in Turkey that will make your trip a lot easier. Turkey hosts over 50 million visitors annually, which plays a vital role in Turkeys' economy, so a broad range of restaurants, hotels, and taxis accept cash and credit cards both.
How much cash should I bring to Istanbul?
You do not have to carry a lot of money. Excluding the hotel expenses, I would say you can spend 70-80 USD/person/day for museum entrances, souvenir shopping, lunch and dinner, transportation, incidentals, etc. Major shopping is extra. 2.
In most countries, tipping your guide at the end of a tour is standard practice and will be rarely turned down. For a tour that only lasts a few hours, tip your guide 10 percent to 20 percent the cost of the tour.

Many people know that the 20% tip has long been a standard when it comes to sit-down service — if the service is deemed ideal.
For tour guides, around 10% of the tour's cost is a good amount to tip. Wage levels are relatively low in Turkey, and many waiters and other staff rely upon tips to lift their take-home amount.
As to whether you choose to tip is entirely up to you as taxi drivers do not expect tips. However, if you had a friendly, efficient, or keen-to-please driver then you may want to leave a gratuity. Locals will round up a few Liras if they tip at all. Tourists may want to leave up to five per cent for a good service.
How much Turkish Lira should I have for one week in Turkey? If you want to spend a week in Turkey the cost of your stay will be: 254 USD (4,700 TRY) - a cheap stay for 7 days in Turkey. 522 USD (9,700 TRY) - a budget travel for 7 days in Turkey.
Eating out is often very good value and many locals do so frequently. The cheapest sit-down meals are to be found in establishments which do not serve alcohol (içkisiz), where it's possible to find a hearty three-course meal for TL18 (€9).
Restaurants | Edit |
---|---|
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 60.00TL |
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 300.00TL |
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 65.00TL |
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 35.00TL |
It is usually not necessary to do so, but it never hurts to give the valet or bellman a 5 TL tip here and there. Generally, room service staff do not get paid as well and if you can leave a tip at the end of the week stay, it is much appreciated.
Do I Need to Tip at an All-Inclusive Resort? While tipping is a discretionary and optional gesture, at all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and others, it is certainly encouraged.
What is the best card to use in Turkey?
Carry at least two cards on your trip to Turkey, preferably connected with Visa or Mastercard. If you just take an American Express card, you won't get to use it in many places.
Travel FX consistently offer the best exchange rates and top our polls in user satisfaction and also have a 5* rating on Trustpilot . They offer payment by bank transfer, debit card or credit card and the whole process is very slick.
Exchange Office( Doviz Bürosu ) / Bank / ATM
Exchange rates are slightly better in Exchange Offices and the rates are usually the highest. Best exchange rate offering exchange offices of Istanbul are located in Grand Bazaar, Beyazit area, Taksim square and Eminonu area.
If you're visiting Turkey for a holiday or other trip, then it's generally going to be better and a lot more convenient to use Turkish Lira, as that's the currency of Turkey, and that's what is used! You can use Euros at airports and probably at some hotels, but not for general shopping, travel fares etc. etc.
Most Turkish ATMs accept MasterCard (Cirrus and Maestro) and Plus (Visa) cards. You can confirm whether your card belongs to one of these networks by asking your bank. ATMs display the logos of all cards they accept. You can also locate the closest one online, using MasterCard's ATM locator or Visa's ATM locator.
Credit and debit cards are widely used in Turkey. Visa and MasterCard are accepted in most places, with American Express payment available in high-end hotels and restaurants. If you're travelling off the beaten track or shopping in market stalls and Souks, then it's a good idea to have some cash on you.
Shorts, T-shirts and flip-flops or bare feet are normal wear for both Turks and foreigners.
- Turkish Blue Evil Eye Amulet.
- Turkish Lamps.
- Rugs and Carpets.
- Tea and Tea mugs.
- Ceramic Collections.
- Spices.
- Hammam accessories.
- Antiques and Ornaments.
The currency in Turkey is the Turkish Lira. ATMs are widely available in major cities and tourist areas. You can get local currency from banks and exchange bureaus, known as DOVIZ in Turkish.
It is quite enough for upto 4–5 people to take a tour of around and have a better meal than all inclusive hotel's for a couple of nights, depending on your expenditure. If you aren't fancier in food, you can squeeze the soveniours in that number.
How much money is enough for a week in Istanbul?
A generous budget of 276 USD per person per day (or 1932 USD/week) is more than enough for Istanbul.
It is customary to tip a restaurant in Istanbul if the tip is not already included in the bill. It can be 10% of the total bill. You can leave a tip in the bill book.
Pro tip: Tip everyone: While most travelers know to tip a bellman or valet, few leave anything for the front-desk agent—despite their enormous power to influence the quality of your stay. “The front desk isn't a tipped position, so when you do tip, it makes them beholden to you,” Tomsky said.
A 10% tip is customary for standard service at a bar; tipping 15% or more shows extra appreciation. Remember that you don't need to tip every time you order a drink—but you should definitely give extra when your server goes above and beyond. Always look at your bill.
Leave cash in an envelope or with a note indicating it's for housekeeping. If you prefer not to use cash, you can leave a tip through the hotel concierge and ask them to give it to the cleaners.
Customary tip: $1 to $2 per bag, or a flat $5 plus $1 per bag, for storing bags or taking them to your room; $1 to $2 for a standard delivery; tip extra if you get a great room orientation.
Some travelers like to leave one tip for hotel housekeeping at the end of their stay. But most experts say it's better to leave a tip every day of your trip. “We recommend tipping nightly, as your room may be serviced by different people,” said Ten Eyck.
But even if you never opt for room cleaning during your stay, you should leave a tip on your departure day, as housekeeping staff will be coming in to clean up after you and disinfect the room before the next guests arrive.
What the etiquette expert says: Just like at coffee shops, tipping on takeout orders is optional, says Orr. “There isn't an expectation that you tip since you haven't [received service].” If you're paying with cash, you can always round up or leave some change as a gesture of good will, but that's totally your call.
Studies have shown that tipping is not an effective incentive for performance in servers. It also creates an environment in which people of color, young people, old people, women, and foreigners tend to get worse service than white males.
Is it OK to not tip for to go?
So, Should I Tip for Takeout? Yes, you should tip the waitstaff for your takeout order—if the restaurant is a traditional dine-in establishment where servers wait on tables. “An appropriate amount to tip on takeout orders would be approximately 10% to 12%,” says Kane.
How much Turkish Lira should I have for one week in Turkey? If you want to spend a week in Turkey the cost of your stay will be: 254 USD (4,600 TRY) - a cheap stay for 7 days in Turkey. 522 USD (9,600 TRY) - a budget travel for 7 days in Turkey.
Cash is still a necessity for travellers in Turkey, cards are accepted widely in hotels and restaurants, but there will be occasions where you will have to rely on cash. Taxis, public transport or street vendors rarely accept card payments.
Eating Out
Simple street snacks start from 2 to 5 liras. If you eat at a restaurant on the cheaper side, expect to pay around 20-25 liras. If you are eating a three-course-meal at a mid-range restaurant, the price goes up to 60 to 120 liras.
Meal in a cheap restaurant | 50 TRY (29-100) |
---|---|
Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) | 9.80 TRY (6.00-16) |
Water (0.33 liter bottle) | 3.80 TRY (2.00-10) |
Cappuccino (regular) | 23 TRY (15-55) |
Espresso Coffee | 16 TRY (11-39) |
Using credit cards and debit cards in Turkey
Visa and MasterCard are accepted in most places, with American Express payment available in high-end hotels and restaurants. If you're travelling off the beaten track or shopping in market stalls and Souks, then it's a good idea to have some cash on you.
Always withdraw in Turkish Lira. This ensures that you'll get the mid-market rate. If you attempt to withdraw in another currency, the ATM will make up an inflated exchange rate using Dynamic Currency Conversion. This means you'll be paying extra fees unnecessarily.
It is against the law in Turkey to refuse to take Lira. So best to use it. If you have Euros you want to spend. The Airport Shops sell in Euros.
If you use a ATM in Turkey, use one that is located outside of a national bank and also during regular business hours. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. This way if you experience any problems with your card you can directly report it at the bank. Also do make sure that you advise your bank of your planned travel to Turkey.
Credit and debit cards are widely used in Turkey. Visa and MasterCard are accepted in most places, with American Express payment available in high-end hotels and restaurants. If you're travelling off the beaten track or shopping in market stalls and Souks, then it's a good idea to have some cash on you.