Austin ๐บ๐ธ
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Bangkok ๐น๐ญ
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Istanbul ๐น๐ท
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Madrid ๐ช๐ธ
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Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
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Valencia ๐ช๐ธ
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Population | 926,426 | 5,680,000 | 15,520,000 | 6,578,0179 | 1,270,169 | 834,000 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Thai | Turkish | Spanish | Bulgarian | Spanish, Valencian |
Level of English | Very high | Low | Low | Moderate | High | Moderate |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) | Valencia Manises Airport (VLC) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | January - March, November, December | April - June, September and October | March - May, September - November | April-June, September-October | March - June, September, October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1560 | $659 | $2498 | $1289 | $1976 |
Rent | $1650 | $616 | $354 | $1174 | $567 | $869 |
Groceries | $243 | $191 | $44 | $175 | $10 | $146 |
Dining out | $396 | $168 | $81 | $313 | $227 | $292 |
Cafe | $66 | $45 | $18 | $51 | $27 | $42 |
Coworking space | $331 | $127 | $49 | $196 | $140 | $152 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $23 | $3 | $10 | $10 | $16 |
Public transportation | $110 | $32 | $6 | $78 | $30 | $38 |
Taxis | $73 | $19 | $6 | $44 | $12 | $42 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $17 | $2 | $49 | $40 | $30 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $46 | $11 | $54 | $18 | $73 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $21 | $15 | $20 | $12 | $44 |
Nightlife | $124 | $50 | $22 | $82 | $82 | $66 |
Gym | $62 | $96 | $9 | $44 | $23 | $34 |
Yoga | $139 | $98 | $23 | $142 | $62 | $87 |
Massage | $89 | $11 | $15 | $64 | $29 | $45 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | AIS | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Orange, Movistar, Vodafone | 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 | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars | Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs | Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Grab | BiTaksi | Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now | TaxiMe, TaxiStars | Cabify, FreeNow |
Tap water | 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 | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. | 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 | Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight | Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator | Paella, fideuร , 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 | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros! | 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 | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 85 listings on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow | 98 listings on Happy Cow |