Istanbul is an excellent place to spend some time for any digital nomad looking for affordable living costs. Everything is very cheap in Turkey, so Istanbul is especially perfect for beginning digital nomads willing to stay in hostels.
And it’s a giant city full of places to explore when you want a break from work. In fact, I spent a week sightseeing in Istanbul and it wasn’t enough time; there is so much to see and do in Istanbul!
Although I struggled to find hostels that were perfect for a digital nomad in Istanbul, I ended up finding some in the end. During my time in Istanbul, I stayed in a few hostels that weren’t so great for a digital nomad, so hopefully you’ll find my experience useful in choosing accommodation suitable for working in.
I hopped around hostels in different neighborhoods in Istanbul, so you’ll have options in what I thought were the best neighborhoods to stay in Istanbul as a digital nomad.
I’ve narrowed it down to my favorite hostel on the European side and on the Asian side. I’ll also be sharing some tips on choosing the best accommodation for you.
So whether you’re looking to stay on the European or Asian side, here are the best hostels in Istanbul for digital nomads!
[This post contains affiliate links.]
But first, in case you’re still debating whether Istanbul is a good choice for you as a city to spend time in as a digital nomad, the answer is yes, it is!
Here’s why:
1. It’s cheap. Food, transportation, accommodation…anything you need to spend money on will be cheap in Istanbul. That makes it an especially great city for digital nomads who are just starting out and are on a tight budget.
2. It’s known as the gateway between the East and West, so you’ll be meeting people from all over the world.
3. Along the same line, if you’re making your way around the world, Istanbul is a great way to stop if you’re traveling your way from Europe to Asia, or vice versa.
4. It’s generally safe, and the people are welcoming and willing to help, at least in my experience.
5. There’s definitely an expat community in Istanbul. Although I was there only for a short amount of time, I met lots of international people living in Istanbul, so you won’t be alone.
6. Turkey is a huge country. That means that you have a lot of ground to explore if you choose to stay for a long period of time. And there’s something for everyone. Skiing, seaside towns, ancient historical sites, hot air balloon rides and more await you in Turkey.
7. Istanbul itself is huge too. I spent a week in the city and it wasn’t enough time to explore it all. There is so much to see and do.
8. The food is amazing. From the delicious Iskender kebap, to baklava (with pistachios), to pide, you will not go hungry while in Istanbul. Especially since just a few dollars can buy you feast.
This lovely hostel is small but perfect for digital nomads. What makes it so great is that it has a café downstairs that is super trendy and cute, and it’s a great environment to spend a whole day working in.
It serves lots of yummy treats, like the purple velvet cake that I highly recommend grabbing for breakfast (because who said you can’t have cake for breakfast?) and they have a great selection of hot drinks to enjoy while you work.
I don’t know about you, but I love staying in hostels where I don’t need to leave to have a good work environment. (But if you want a change of scenery, you’ll find lots of other cafes in the area.)
Furthermore, I thought the dorm rooms were quite nice, much nicer than other hostels I stayed in throughout Istanbul. In fact, I think it might have been the nicest out of all of them, and I didn’t mind spending some time in my bunk bed working. Cause sometimes, you just need a comfy bed to lie on while working.
This hostel is located in Beyoğlu, a very hip and young-feeling part of Istanbul. It’s by the harbor and has lots of things to see and do nearby.
You’re within walking distance of Taksim Square and Galata Tower, and there are quite a few museums in the area. If you need to do any shopping, there is a fancy shopping street nearby too where you can find anything you may need.
And although the main tourist sites like the Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazaar are on the other side of the river, you can easily get to them with a (long but nice) walk across the Galata Bridge or a quick tram ride.
(By the way, I personally would not recommend staying in a hostel in the touristy part of Istanbul as everything is more expensive and touristy, and the hostels I encountered there didn’t have a great environment for digital nomads.
So even if you decide against Archeo Hostel, I would look for a hostel in the Beyoğlu area of Istanbul instead of in Eminönü/Sultanahmet.)
You will be well connected to the rest of Istanbul if you choose Archeo Hostel. It’s located a few-minute walk from the Tophane tram stop and within walking distance of Galata bridge and the Karaköy ferry stop (which will take you to the Asian side).
I absolutely loved this hostel and wished I stayed in this hostel my entire time in Istanbul.
It has a dedicated workspace area in addition to a café if you want a hot drink, and a kitchen if you’re on a budget and want to make your own tea or coffee.
I loved how it wasn’t a party hostel like so many others in Istanbul seemed to be, yet it was still really social and it was really easy to meet people.
And on the other hand, you could still find a quiet corner to do some work if you need to. When I was there, a lot of others were working too, so there was a nice sense of digital nomad community there.
They do have private rooms as well, although a word of warning: I spent my first night in a private room and was put in a building across the street. That was a bit annoying since I had to go across the street to access the awesome common areas of the main building and the room didn’t look quite as nice as the one in the pictures, so keep that in mind if you decide on a private room. (I do believe they have private rooms in the main building though).
This is a very lively part of Istanbul, and right by the ferry that connects to Istanbul’s European side. You’ll find tons of amazing places for food nearby, along with bars, stores and (best of all) lots of dessert places!
The Asian side also feels considerably less touristy than many places on the European side, so it felt much more authentic and it was easier to befriend locals there.
Hush Hostel Lounge is extremely well located as it’s within walking distance of the ferry that comes from Istanbul’s European side and a major bus and train station (Kadikoy). You’ll be well connected not only to sites on the Asian side of Istanbul, but you can also get to the European side in less than half an hour by boat.
If you’re looking to sightsee, there are much more tourist destinations on the European side. Therefore, if you want to be right next to all the sightseeing, I’d stay at Archeo.
However, of all the hostels I stayed in, I thought that the best hostel overall for digital nomads in Istanbul was Hush Lounge Hostel.
Although it’s on the Asian side, it’s super easy to get to the European side from this hostel! The hostel is located very near to public transportation that will take you to the European side.
It has a dedicated workspace area in addition to the café, and a kitchen as well (Archeo didn’t have a kitchen).
It’s not very big so it has a homey feel and is unlikely to get too rowdy and loud for you to work.
In fact, Hush Lounge Hostel is one of the best hostels I found around the whole world for digital nomads, let alone just in Istanbul.
So, my verdict for the best hostel for digital nomads in Istanbul: Hush Lounge Hostel.
Or at least do it if you are picky about using sites like Booking.com. I personally use this site often because accommodation is almost always cheaper for me since I get good discounts on it.
But here’s something I wish I knew beforehand: sites like Booking.com are banned in Turkey. It has something to do with the sites not paying taxes to Turkey, so the Turkish government banned the websites and they don’t work in Turkey. But the weird thing is, you can book stays in Turkey as long as you’re not in Turkey.
So book your hostel ahead of arriving in Turkey if you really want to use Booking (which I do as I get Genius rewards). Otherwise, I used Hostelworld while in Turkey, since that site worked.
If you’re staying in Istanbul for an extended period of time, you’re probably going to have time to visit a lot of its museums.
I didn’t buy the museum card and regretted it. It would have paid off after the first three museums I visited (one of them was Topkapi Palace, which is quite expensive), and you also get a free audio guide with the pass.
Similarly, since you’ll be in Istanbul for a while, make sure you get a public transportation card: Istanbulkart. You can load the cards up on machines near the major tram stops, and you can use it for all forms of transportation—including the ferries.
This is a given almost everywhere in the world, and I’m not saying to not visit the tourist sites. But try to avoid eating or shopping in these areas as things will be overpriced.
While it might be tempting to buy some Turkish delights, baklavas or spices in the Grand Bazaar or Spice Bazaar, apparently the sellers buy old food from local shops and charge more for them. So head to the local shops instead of the touristy bazaars if you want to buy something.
Even if you’re on a budget, find a way to save money for this. Yes, it will likely be the most expensive bath you’ve ever taken. But it will be worth every penny. It’s so relaxing and I left with skin as smooth as a baby. After all, if you’re a digital nomad in Istanbul, you’re busy working; you deserve to treat yourself!
I recommended two hostels that aren’t in the too touristy areas, but go further into the city. Istanbul is huge, and it offers so much more than just the tourist sites. Find out where the locals go to enjoy themselves, and go explore those places! Some of my favorite parts of Istanbul were the places where I ended up on accident.
You can go from one area to another and feel like you’re in a completely different city. And you need a lot of time to take in the entire city and its different sides and vibes, so what better way to visit Istanbul than as a digital nomad with time to stay and explore in between working!?
Have you ever visited Istanbul? If so, did you come across any other hostels in Istanbul that had a good working environment for digital nomads? Let us know in the comments!
And, if you’re a digital nomad planning on going to Istanbul, which of these two hostels will you choose?
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I'd love to visit Turkey. I almost went this year as my friend's mom lives there and we were going to go but it didn't work out. Can't wait to get there soon though, and Istanbul would be an amazing place to explore. Love the idea of spending a good amount of time here as a digital nomad
There is a film about how the residents take care as a community of the street cats. It made me love the people. I think it would be a cool place to live for a while.
I'd love to visit Istanbul, it's been high on my list for a while now! These look like great places so I'll definitely check them out when I visit.
I'm not a digital nomad and honestly would have never thought that Istanbul would be a great place to be one. But it sounds like you had a great time. I'll definitely have to check out this city some day!
I cannot wait to go to Istanbul! I am pinning with high hopes!
Istanbul is high on our list. There are great tips in here even if we decide not to stay in hostels.
I recently went to Istanbul and shopped at the bazaar, but I didn't know about them buying old food from the shops and selling it for more! I'm shocked to hear that.
I've never stayed in a hostel, but these are helpful tips if I ever do. Istanbul is on my bucket list!
Istanbul is one of my favourite cities in the world. I'd love to live there as a digital nomad. The winters look cold though!
Great guide to Istanbul! I've never been but always wanted to go. Also, nice to meet another digital nomad named Natalie :)