Austin vs Berlin vs Bucharest vs Istanbul

Austin 🇺🇸
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Berlin 🇩🇪
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Population 926,426 3,400,000 1,830,000 15,520,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) German Romanian Turkish
Level of English Very high Very high High Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Berlin Tegel (TXL) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November May - September April - October April - June, September and October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) EUR - Euro (€) RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places but cash often preferred Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places
Remote worker visa No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $2200 $1351 $659
Rent $1650 $939 $615 $354
Groceries $243 $188 $114 $44
Dining out $396 $271 $165 $81
Cafe $66 $57 $38 $18
Coworking space $331 $174 $133 $49
Mobile internet $40 $23 $7 $3
Public transportation $110 $88 $21 $6
Taxis $73 $58 $9 $6
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $25 $2
Sport and cultural events $54 $64 $29 $11
Museums and sights $11 $37 $29 $15
Nightlife $124 $63 $45 $22
Gym $62 $66 $30 $9
Yoga $139 $99 $59 $23
Massage $89 $56 $31 $15
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars Round up for restaurants, not common for bars and services 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
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Mytaxi, Uber Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi
Tap water 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. Heavy and hearty meals with plenty of meat, potatoes and bread 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
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Currywurst, spätzle, königsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 844 listings on Happy Cow 33 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow