You will be able to access your foreign accounts from the ATM of your Turkish bank and at many banks throughout Istanbul and Turkey. Turkish banks widely accommodate overseas ATM cards. Enter your PIN carefully as your card will be taken by the machine after 3 incorrect attempts and might not be returned without written consent of the issuing bank, even if you show your passport as proof of identity.

Currency Exchange

Please note that the lira exchange rate is subject to fluctuations, which can sometimes make it difficult for you to keep a perspective on how much you’re spending. It’s helpful to use a calculator for conversion until you’ve got the feel for the exchange rate. Currently (as of February 2016), the exchange rate is US$1 = 2.96TL, EUR1=3.30 TL.

You can check the daily exchange rate in the newspapers, online newspapers, television teletext, or at the Central Bank’s website .

What 10TL will buy to you:

• 1 fast food sandwich, fries and drink
• 4 bus or metro rides
• A taxi ride between Taksim and Beşiktaş
• A very small appetizer at an midscale restaurant
• 1 box of ibuprofen
• 2 nice rollerball pens
• 2 local magazines
• 4 bagels at Tribecca
• 1 cup of coffee at Starbucks and half a dessert
• 10 chocolate bars
• 3 liters of fruit juice
• 5 liters of milk
• 1 19-liter container of bottled water (with change)
• 3 kilos of tomatoes (in season)
• A meal and a drink at a Turkish cuisine cafeteria
• 1 t-shirt from the bazaar
• 2-3 cans of cat food
• A bouquet of flowers from a street vendor

Using Credit Cards

You can use your credit card almost everywhere in İstanbul however American Express is not as wide as Visa and Master Card. You might need to have Visa or Master Card instead of American Express credit card.