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Rent a Friend in Turkey: How It Works in Istanbul, What It Costs, and How Turks Get Paid

Istanbul's visitors search 'rent a friend' (and 'arkadaş kiralama') for a local who knows the city beyond Sultanahmet. Turks ask whether they can get paid for it. How it works, what it costs and how to start.

Oscar Garcia·Founder of Roavi··2 min read

Istanbul is two continents, twenty neighbourhoods and a food culture that needs an interpreter. Most visitors see Sultanahmet and leave. "Rent a friend in Istanbul", or arkadaş kiralama in Turkish, is the search for the other city, and for Turks, the question of how to be paid for showing it.

What an Istanbul Local Friend is for#

PlanWhy a local matters
The Asian sideKadıköy, Moda, the market streets, a ferry with a plan
FoodTurkish breakfast, the lokanta at lunch, a meyhane night
The BosphorusWhich ferry, which stop, which tea garden
PracticalThe Istanbulkart, prices, how not to be overcharged

How it works#

Browse Local Friends in Istanbul, message one, agree a plan, meet in public. Each sets their own hourly rate; worldwide most charge $15 to $50 an hour, and many in Turkey set rates in lira (what moves the price). For visitors: things to do in Istanbul and is Istanbul safe?.

For Turks: getting paid#

Sign up free, add real photos and a short bio in English, set your rate and free times, reply fast. Roavi takes no commission, and you don't need a guide licence because you don't sell tours. Paid friend jobs explains the work.

Live in Istanbul? Get paid to show visitors the real city.

Become a Local Friend

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can you rent a friend in Istanbul?
    Yes. On Roavi, Istanbul Local Friends offer their time by the hour: the neighbourhoods, the food, the ferries, the language. It's company, not dating.
  • How much does it cost?
    Each Local Friend sets their rate. Worldwide most charge $15 to $50 an hour; many Turkish Local Friends set rates in lira. Food and transport are agreed beforehand.
  • What is 'arkadaş kiralama'?
    It's the Turkish phrase for rent a friend. The idea is the same: a local paid by the hour for company and showing you the city.
  • How do Turks get paid as a Local Friend?
    Sign up free on Roavi, add real photos and a bio in English, set a rate and free times. Visitors message you; you meet in person. No commission, and no guide licence needed because you don't sell tours.

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This article was written with the help of AI and reviewed by the Roavi team.

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