Austin vs Bangkok vs Bogota vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Lviv vs Seoul vs Sofia

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Bogota 🇨🇴
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lviv 🇺🇦
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 10,978,360 2,900,000 15,520,000 731,387 9,963,452 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Spanish Spanish Turkish Ukrainian Korean Bulgarian
Level of English Very high Low Low High Low Low Moderate High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) Incheon International Airport (ICN) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December January - March, December September - December April - June, September and October May - September March - May, September - November April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (฿) COP - Colombian Peso ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (₴) KRW - South Korean won (₩) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $1097 $1321 $659 $922 $2184 $1289
Rent $1650 $616 $480 $844 $354 $400 $797 $567
Groceries $243 $191 $82 $98 $44 $91 $356 $10
Dining out $396 $168 $174 $121 $81 $151 $211 $227
Cafe $66 $45 $22 $25 $18 $21 $69 $27
Coworking space $331 $127 $77 $95 $49 $79 $222 $140
Mobile internet $40 $23 $11 $11 $3 $4 $40 $10
Public transportation $110 $32 $23 $9 $6 $5 $40 $30
Taxis $73 $19 $28 $9 $6 $12 $41 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $17 $14 $2 $16 $13 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $22 $24 $11 $13 $39 $18
Museums and sights $11 $21 $7 $4 $15 $9 $6 $12
Nightlife $124 $50 $46 $23 $22 $43 $93 $82
Gym $62 $96 $15 $14 $9 $22 $69 $23
Yoga $139 $98 $57 $19 $23 $30 $112 $62
Massage $89 $11 $37 $10 $15 $27 $75 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Tigo, Movistar, Claro Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, Kyivstar KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus A1, Telenor, Vivacom
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 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere Not customary or expected 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Uber, Cabify Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi Uber, Uklon Uber, Kakao TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not 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 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. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Slavic. Emphasis on frilled meats combined with potatoes, carrots, pickles and cabbage. Creamy deserts often elaborated with cottage cheese. Lviv enjoys culinary influences from Kiev (traditional with an emphasis on chicken) and Odessa (various seafood dishes). 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.
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 Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam 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 Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menú del día. Community markets and sports bars. Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets 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 104 options on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 9 options on HappyCow 57 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow