Austin 🇺🇸
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Bangkok 🇹ðŸ‡
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Berlin 🇩🇪
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Chiang Mai 🇹ðŸ‡
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Mexico City 🇲🇽
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Panama City 🇵🇦
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population | 926,426 | 5,680,000 | 3,400,000 | 1,166,978 | 15,520,000 | 517,000 | 8,850,000 | 880,691 | 1,270,169 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Thai | German | Thai | Turkish | Portuguese | Spanish | Spanish | Bulgarian |
Level of English | Very high | Low | Very high | Low | Low | Very high | Moderate | Low | High |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) | Berlin Tegel (TXL) | Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) | Mexico City International Airport (MEX) | Tocumen International Airport (PTY) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | January - March, November, December | May - September | November - April | April - June, September and October | March - May, September, October | March - May, October, November | December - April | April-June, September-October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | THB - Thai Baht (฿) | EUR - Euro (€) | THB - Thai Baht (฿) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | EUR - Euro (€) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) | PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in some places but cash often preferred | Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. | Accepted in most places | Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) | Widely accepted (less with AMEX) | Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1560 | $2200 | $974 | $659 | $1984 | $1867 | $2359 | $1289 |
Rent | $1650 | $616 | $939 | $274 | $354 | $965 | $778 | $1036 | $567 |
Groceries | $243 | $191 | $188 | $169 | $44 | $136 | $281 | $236 | $10 |
Dining out | $396 | $168 | $271 | $108 | $81 | $271 | $182 | $371 | $227 |
Cafe | $66 | $45 | $57 | $45 | $18 | $37 | $49 | $43 | $27 |
Coworking space | $331 | $127 | $174 | $95 | $49 | $164 | $159 | $157 | $140 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $23 | $23 | $11 | $3 | $24 | $25 | $21 | $10 |
Public transportation | $110 | $32 | $88 | $60 | $6 | $63 | $11 | $12 | $30 |
Taxis | $73 | $19 | $58 | $20 | $6 | $27 | $9 | $48 | $12 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $17 | $17 | $10 | $2 | $18 | $24 | $0 | $40 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $46 | $64 | $8 | $11 | $29 | $81 | $35 | $18 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $21 | $37 | $8 | $15 | $24 | $20 | $9 | $12 |
Nightlife | $124 | $50 | $63 | $62 | $22 | $47 | $64 | $117 | $82 |
Gym | $62 | $96 | $66 | $41 | $9 | $65 | $69 | $37 | $23 |
Yoga | $139 | $98 | $99 | $55 | $23 | $65 | $65 | $163 | $62 |
Massage | $89 | $11 | $56 | $10 | $15 | $50 | $51 | $75 | $29 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | AIS | Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone | AIS, DTAC | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Vodafone | Telcel, Movistar | Claro, Movistar | A1, Telenor, Vivacom |
Tipping | 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars | 10% for restaurants, bars and services | Round up for restaurants, not common for bars and services | 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars | 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services | 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Grab | Mytaxi, Uber | Grab | BiTaksi | Uber, FreeNow | Uber | Uber, Tu Chofer | TaxiMe, TaxiStars |
Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not 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 | Heavy and hearty meals with plenty of meat, potatoes and bread | Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables. | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries | Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese | Latin American. Emphasis on rice, beans, coconut, and local fruits and vegetables. Pork and beef are regularly used and influence from the islands gives seafood dishes a prominent spot in Panamanian cuisine. | 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 | Currywurst, spätzle, königsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels | Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana | Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas | Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameños, tostones, ropa vieja | 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 | Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops | Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants | Markets, food stalls, menú del dÃa (cheap set lunch menus) | Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks | 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 | 844 listings on Happy Cow | 90 options on HappyCow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 401 listings on Happy Cow | 279 listings on Happy Cow | 7 options on HappyCow | 20 options on HappyCow |