Austin vs Bangkok vs Barcelona vs Bucharest vs Istanbul vs Seoul vs Sofia vs Valencia

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Barcelona 🇪🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Valencia 🇪🇸
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 5,585,556 1,830,000 15,520,000 9,963,452 1,270,169 834,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Catalan, Spanish Romanian Turkish Korean Bulgarian Spanish, Valencian
Level of English Very high Low High High Low Moderate High Moderate
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) Incheon International Airport (ICN) Sofia International Airport (SOF) Valencia Manises Airport (VLC)
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 - November April-June, September-October March - June, September, October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (฿) EUR - Euro (€) RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) KRW - South Korean won (₩) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) EUR - Euro (€)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost evewhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $2384 $1351 $659 $2184 $1289 $1976
Rent $1650 $616 $932 $615 $354 $797 $567 $869
Groceries $243 $191 $121 $114 $44 $356 $10 $146
Dining out $396 $168 $403 $165 $81 $211 $227 $292
Cafe $66 $45 $45 $38 $18 $69 $27 $42
Coworking space $331 $127 $213 $133 $49 $222 $140 $152
Mobile internet $40 $23 $10 $7 $3 $40 $10 $16
Public transportation $110 $32 $127 $21 $6 $40 $30 $38
Taxis $73 $19 $48 $9 $6 $41 $12 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $24 $25 $2 $13 $40 $30
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $81 $29 $11 $39 $18 $73
Museums and sights $11 $21 $33 $29 $15 $6 $12 $44
Nightlife $124 $50 $112 $45 $22 $93 $82 $66
Gym $62 $96 $81 $30 $9 $69 $23 $34
Yoga $139 $98 $93 $59 $23 $112 $62 $87
Massage $89 $11 $59 $31 $15 $75 $29 $45
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Vodafone, Movistar Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus A1, Telenor, Vivacom Vodafone, Orange
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 Not customary or expected 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Cabify, FreeNow Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi Uber, Kakao TaxiMe, TaxiStars Cabify, FreeNow
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable 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 Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture. 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. Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats
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 Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator Paella, fideuà, esgarrat, orxata, bunyols
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 Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches)
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 57 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow 98 listings on Happy Cow