Austin ๐บ๐ธ
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Berlin ๐ฉ๐ช
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Istanbul ๐น๐ท
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Playa del Carmen ๐ฒ๐ฝ
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Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
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Population | 926,426 | 3,400,000 | 15,520,000 | 259,453 | 1,270,169 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | German | Turkish | Spanish | Bulgarian |
Level of English | Very high | Very high | Low | Moderate | High |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Berlin Tegel (TXL) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Cancun International Airport (CUN) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | May - September | April - June, September and October | January - May, October - December | April-June, September-October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in some places but cash often preferred | Accepted in most places | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $2200 | $659 | $2143 | $1289 |
Rent | $1650 | $939 | $354 | $923 | $567 |
Groceries | $243 | $188 | $44 | $127 | $10 |
Dining out | $396 | $271 | $81 | $207 | $227 |
Cafe | $66 | $57 | $18 | $42 | $27 |
Coworking space | $331 | $174 | $49 | $160 | $140 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $23 | $3 | $21 | $10 |
Public transportation | $110 | $88 | $6 | $17 | $30 |
Taxis | $73 | $58 | $6 | $9 | $12 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $17 | $2 | $49 | $40 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $64 | $11 | $97 | $18 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $37 | $15 | $217 | $12 |
Nightlife | $124 | $63 | $22 | $77 | $82 |
Gym | $62 | $66 | $9 | $42 | $23 |
Yoga | $139 | $99 | $23 | $54 | $62 |
Massage | $89 | $56 | $15 | $101 | $29 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Telcel, Movistar | A1, Telenor, Vivacom |
Tipping | 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars | Round up for restaurants, not common for bars and services | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars | 10-15% for restaurants | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Mytaxi, Uber | BiTaksi | N/A | TaxiMe, TaxiStars |
Tap water | 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. | Heavy and hearty meals with plenty of meat, potatoes and bread | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices | 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 | Currywurst, spรคtzle, kรถnigsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels | Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight | Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole | 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 | Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 844 listings on Happy Cow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 72 listings on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow |