Austin vs Bogota vs Bucharest vs Istanbul vs Madrid vs Playa del Carmen vs Seoul vs Sofia

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bogota 🇨🇴
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Madrid 🇪🇸
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Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 926,426 10,978,360 1,830,000 15,520,000 6,578,0179 259,453 9,963,452 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Romanian Turkish Spanish Spanish Korean Bulgarian
Level of English Very high Low High Low Moderate Moderate Moderate High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Incheon International Airport (ICN) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, December April - October April - June, September and October March - May, September - November January - May, October - December March - May, September - November April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) COP - Colombian Peso ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) KRW - South Korean won (₩) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes Yes No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1097 $1351 $659 $2498 $2143 $2184 $1289
Rent $1650 $480 $615 $354 $1174 $923 $797 $567
Groceries $243 $82 $114 $44 $175 $127 $356 $10
Dining out $396 $174 $165 $81 $313 $207 $211 $227
Cafe $66 $22 $38 $18 $51 $42 $69 $27
Coworking space $331 $77 $133 $49 $196 $160 $222 $140
Mobile internet $40 $11 $7 $3 $10 $21 $40 $10
Public transportation $110 $23 $21 $6 $78 $17 $40 $30
Taxis $73 $28 $9 $6 $44 $9 $41 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $25 $2 $49 $49 $13 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $22 $29 $11 $54 $97 $39 $18
Museums and sights $11 $7 $29 $15 $20 $217 $6 $12
Nightlife $124 $46 $45 $22 $82 $77 $93 $82
Gym $62 $15 $30 $9 $44 $42 $69 $23
Yoga $139 $57 $59 $23 $142 $54 $112 $62
Massage $89 $37 $31 $15 $64 $101 $75 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Tigo, Movistar, Claro Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Telcel, Movistar KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service 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 Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. 10-15% for restaurants Not customary or expected 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber, Cabify Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now N/A Uber, Kakao TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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. 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. 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 Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices 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 Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileña, churros Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole 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 Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menú del día. Community markets and sports bars. Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias 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! Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's 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 104 options on Happy Cow 33 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow