Austin vs Bangkok vs Bogota vs Istanbul vs Seoul vs Sofia vs Tbilisi

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Bogota 🇨🇴
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Tbilisi 🇬🇪
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 10,978,360 15,520,000 9,963,452 1,270,169 1,108,700
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Spanish Turkish Korean Bulgarian Georgian
Level of English Very high Low Low Low Moderate High Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Istanbul Airport (IST) Incheon International Airport (ICN) Sofia International Airport (SOF) Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December January - March, December April - June, September and October March - May, September - November April-June, September-October March - June
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (฿) COP - Colombian Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) KRW - South Korean won (₩) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) GEL - Georgian Lari (₾)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $1097 $659 $2184 $1289 $1462
Rent $1650 $616 $480 $354 $797 $567 $752
Groceries $243 $191 $82 $44 $356 $10 $112
Dining out $396 $168 $174 $81 $211 $227 $169
Cafe $66 $45 $22 $18 $69 $27 $45
Coworking space $331 $127 $77 $49 $222 $140 $125
Mobile internet $40 $23 $11 $3 $40 $10 $4
Public transportation $110 $32 $23 $6 $40 $30 $8
Taxis $73 $19 $28 $6 $41 $12 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $17 $2 $13 $40 $27
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $22 $11 $39 $18 $21
Museums and sights $11 $21 $7 $15 $6 $12 $9
Nightlife $124 $50 $46 $22 $93 $82 $53
Gym $62 $96 $15 $9 $69 $23 $33
Yoga $139 $98 $57 $23 $112 $62 $37
Massage $89 $11 $37 $15 $75 $29 $53
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Tigo, Movistar, Claro Turkcell, Turk Telekom KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus A1, Telenor, Vivacom Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars Not customary or expected 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafés.
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Uber, Cabify BiTaksi Uber, Kakao TaxiMe, TaxiStars Yandex, Bolt
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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 Latin American. Dishes with beef, pork and chicken are often mixed with flour-based foods and fruity desserts. Heavy influence from the Andes and other Colombian regions. 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. Cuisine of the Caucasus meets regional diversity in Georgia. Emphasis on spices and meats (poultry, beef, pork and mutton) as well as soups and creams.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua 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 Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menú del día. Community markets and sports bars. 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. Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 416 listings on Happy Cow 104 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow 10 options on Happy Cow