Cheap Shopping in Istanbul

by Sophie Wedin

There are a number of places that offer cheap goods. The most obvious is the local market, but there are many markets that are basically a rip-off, including Ulus Market, which is what they call a "society" market, and sells clothes for exorbitant prices in relation to their actual value.

Generally speaking, street vendors are a good bet for cheap clothes and food, although one should be careful about food containing meat. The street running past Kadikoy port offers a wide variety of jeans - fake "brand names", normally, but perfectly wearable. Bakirkoy is another district which sells cheap clothing. Besiktas sells clothing for a surprisingly low price, probably because it's student-land! I once bought underwear there for 2 million per 5 items. Another source of cheap clothing is the "Sali" or Tuesday market (Pazar), which, while it may not offer the highest quality in clothing, is a great option for those cheap-and-cheerful purchases.

For food, by far the best option is to find your local supermarket, as they sell basic food for extremely low prices, and have special offers, like "two for the price of one", or discounts. Street vendors are another option, but you're never quite sure what you're getting. "Open", i.e. unpackaged food is probably the best way to buy things like cheese, olives, salami, etc. Spices should be purchased from street vendors with care, as they often dye their wares to give a richer colour belying their inferior quality. Your local "manav" or greengrocer is often a good source of vegetables - although not all, and you should compare prices with those of your supermarket. Small local shops - "bakkals", although convenient, are generally far more expensive than large supermarkets (due to the fact that larger supermarkets make their profit from the sheer volume of their sales).

When in doubt, haggle!

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