|
Austin 🇺🇸
|
Bangkok 🇹ðŸ‡
|
Barcelona 🇪🇸
|
Bucharest 🇷🇴
|
Istanbul 🇹🇷
|
Lisbon 🇵🇹
|
Sofia 🇧🇬
|
|
| Population | 926,426 | 5,680,000 | 5,585,556 | 1,830,000 | 15,520,000 | 517,000 | 1,270,169 |
| Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Thai | Catalan, Spanish | Romanian | Turkish | Portuguese | Bulgarian |
| Level of English | Very high | Low | High | High | Low | Very high | High |
| Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) | Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
| Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | January - March, November, December | April - June, September - November | April - October | April - June, September and October | March - May, September, October | April-June, September-October |
| Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | THB - Thai Baht (฿) | EUR - Euro (€) | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | EUR - Euro (€) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) |
| Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost evewhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) | Accepted everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
| Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1560 | $2384 | $1351 | $659 | $1984 | $1289 |
| Rent | $1650 | $616 | $932 | $615 | $354 | $965 | $567 |
| Groceries | $243 | $191 | $121 | $114 | $44 | $136 | $10 |
| Dining out | $396 | $168 | $403 | $165 | $81 | $271 | $227 |
| Cafe | $66 | $45 | $45 | $38 | $18 | $37 | $27 |
| Coworking space | $331 | $127 | $213 | $133 | $49 | $164 | $140 |
| Mobile internet | $40 | $23 | $10 | $7 | $3 | $24 | $10 |
| Public transportation | $110 | $32 | $127 | $21 | $6 | $63 | $30 |
| Taxis | $73 | $19 | $48 | $9 | $6 | $27 | $12 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $17 | $24 | $25 | $2 | $18 | $40 |
| Sport and cultural events | $54 | $46 | $81 | $29 | $11 | $29 | $18 |
| Museums and sights | $11 | $21 | $33 | $29 | $15 | $24 | $12 |
| Nightlife | $124 | $50 | $112 | $45 | $22 | $47 | $82 |
| Gym | $62 | $96 | $81 | $30 | $9 | $65 | $23 |
| Yoga | $139 | $98 | $93 | $59 | $23 | $65 | $62 |
| Massage | $89 | $11 | $59 | $31 | $15 | $50 | $29 |
| SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | AIS | Vodafone, Movistar | Vodafone, Orange | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Vodafone | A1, Telenor, Vivacom |
| Tipping | 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars | 10% for restaurants, bars and services | 5-10% in restaurants if service is exceptional, not expected elsewhere | 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés |
| Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Grab | Cabify, FreeNow | Star Taxi, Uber | BiTaksi | Uber, FreeNow | TaxiMe, TaxiStars |
| Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable |
| Overall cuisine | Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. | Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup | Catalan cuisine makes extensive use of Mediterranean vegetables, legumes mixed with pork in its many varieties, chicken and fish. Regularly mixes sweet and savory flavors in specific dishes. This cuisine is known for being bold in flavor and striking in color, with a variety of specific regional dishes found the culinary hub that is Barcelona. | Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries | Vegetables and mild spices are often mixed with dairy products to create rich chicken and pork products. Seafood dishes also popular in some regions of the country, making them popular in the capital. |
| Local food specialities | Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos | Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan | Paella, bombas, esqueixada, pa amb tomáquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo | Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator |
| Eat like a local | Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries | Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants | Taverns, tapas bars, local markets, bodegas and street food spots | Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. |
| Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 416 listings on Happy Cow | 98 options on HappyCow | 33 listings on Happy Cow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 401 listings on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow |