In an effort to help others planning to travel or explore overseas, I will document my expenses for each country I lived in during the 2023 year. I didn’t keep records for the first 2.5 months in Mexico as almost everything was paid for in cash. Beginning with the next destination, here are my budget travel expenses for Antalya – 38 days. (Turkey)
Things To Note
All prices are in Canadian dollars and these destinations were ones I stayed at for more than one week. I consider myself a budget traveller and am frugal as I can be without forgoing too much comfort and privacy. I will always stay in my own place, for safety, I don’t book ‘room only’ or multi dorm hostels.
Food costs included in ‘groceries’ are everything purchased from a grocery store or market, so wine, beer, all food, toiletries, cleaning products, water etc.
Accommodation
I stayed in two different Airbnb’s, one in Konyaalti a suburb of Antalya and the other right in Antalya. Both were awful. And they had great reviews??? Both were so dirty (think hairs, grime build up, crumbs, filth, fingerprints, footprints etc.) EWWWW
The first one, pictures looked great, but found out they were taken when the place was brand new which was years ago. I arrived late at night. I went to check the bed. One pillow had a yellow dirty case that stunk of old bed head. So gross. It went downhill from there.
The second Airbnb reeked so strongly of cigarette smoke especially in the bedroom. Multiple things didn’t work but the worst was the fridge. It was not working upon arrival. I contacted the host. Thirty-six hours go buy and crickets. I contact him again, this time saying that I had to throw out food that went bad. It took him a further four days of people coming in to try and fix it and finally replacing it.
Looking at these photo’s again, I am not being overly picky people! These are simply filthy apartments! I would not stay in either again, but I guess that is obvious!
Breakdown
Flight from Catania $332
Accommodation (38 nights) $1,518
SIM card $33
Food (groceries) $312.03
Food (restaurants) $72.90
Market foods $64.42
Clothes $20.79
Museums & Attractions $29.65
Dentist $152.47
Suitcase $44.68
Buses/Uber $36.13
Pharmacy $92.39
Jewelry $4.53
Visa $81.40
Total expenses with accommodation $2,462.38
Average cost per day $64.79
Would I Return?
No. Too tourist-centric and commercial, not in a good way. I had two unwanted physical encounters with older men, both in the confines of their shops. They got handsy and it was completely gross and not cool.
It was difficult for me to find the inherent beauty in Antalya. I wasn’t settled nor happy, did not have positive vibes. However, I will explore other parts of Turkey at some point in the future.
When I gather figures for my last destination of 2023, Paphos in Cyprus, I’ll post those. I hope these have been helpful and interesting to some.
