I found the smaller coastal cities way easier on the wallet than Istanbul, especially if you slow down a bit instead of hopping around constantly. Izmir had a nice balance for me. Good food, walkable areas, and plenty happening without feeling insanely expensive. I also really liked Antalya outside the super touristy pockets. Even simple places serving gözleme or lentil soup felt memorable there. One thing that helped a lot was eating where workers and families eat instead of aiming for trendy spots. Turkey has some of the best budget food I’ve had while traveling. fresh bread, grilled meats, soups, tea, and little breakfast spreads. I still think about a tiny lokanta in Izmir where I spent almost nothing and somehow had one of my favorite meals of the trip. Also, buses between cities were surprisingly comfortable and much cheaper than I expected. Night buses saved me a few hostel nights, too.