02.05.2026 18:41
A Brazilian tourist in the Golden Horn, one of Istanbul's most touristy spots, claimed he was charged 7,100 Turkish Liras at a barbershop that listed a price of 400 TL on its door. The incident reignited debates over 'exorbitant pricing' and 'tourist tariffs,' as the tourist argued that additional services were performed without his consent or through misleading guidance during a single visit, inflating the price to 18 times the displayed rate. Following public backlash, the business refunded the money.
The "tourist tariff" incident in the heart of Istanbul's Golden Horn has sparked outrage on social media. A Brazilian tourist who entered a barber shop for a haircut, normally priced at 400 TL, ended up having to pay 7,100 TL, drawing widespread criticism.
"I'M BRAZILIAN, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"
The incident came to light when the tourist recorded the moments inside the barber shop with his mobile phone. The footage clearly shows the tourist's shock and distress as he objects to the astronomical amount paid. Addressing the business owners with reproach, he says:
"Turkish people are very good, but what you are doing is not right. You charged me over 133 Euros for a service that costs 10 Euros (around 400 TL). You should have asked me first. This is a nice place, but what you have done is not honest. I will put this on the internet."
After leaving the barber shop, the tourist warned his followers, stating that the price on the sign outside was 400 TL, but he was charged 7,100 TL. "Don't come here, they will rob you," he protested.
In the video, the young man recounted his shock, saying: "If you come to this street, be very, very careful. Never come to this barber. They are robbing you, literally stealing your money. Look at the prices; it says 400. 400! But they took 7,000. When I was paying, they handed me the machine, and at that moment, I didn't realize I paid 7,100 Lira. I thought I paid 710 Lira. I didn't notice, but I realized while walking on the street. I thought to myself, 'What's going on, why did I pay so much for a haircut?'"
HE RETURNED
When the tourist realized he had paid 7,100, he returned to the shop to ask why and requested a refund. However, the staff claimed he had approved additional services such as facial treatment, wax, beard trim, nose strip use, and facial care.
Receiving the response, "We did our best; the kid asked you, you know. There's nothing we can do, sorry," the tourist replied that he only requested a single service, but the shop employees inflated the bill by adding "extra" services.
NOT A BILL, BUT A LIST OF "FORTUNE"
The crumpled receipt shared by the tourist revealed the extent of the exorbitant pricing.
The fees demanded for services that are typically performed at symbolic prices in a normal barber shop left everyone stunned.
Here are the applications and service fees from that barber shop:
Haircut: 400 TL
Beard: 400 TL
Wax: 1,000 TL
Nose Strip: 1,000 TL
Facial Care: 2,300 TL
Hair Care: 2,000 TL
REFUND MADE AFTER BACKLASH
Following the spread of the footage on platform X, thousands of comments were made about this incident, which harms Istanbul's image. Users called on authorities to inspect such businesses.
It was learned that after the massive pressure and backlash on social media, the business backed down and refunded the unfairly collected money to the tourist.
However, this situation has once again brought the issue of "exorbitant prices" faced by tourists in Istanbul to the top of the agenda.