Austin vs Bucharest vs Cape Town vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 4,617,560 1,166,978 15,520,000 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Thai Turkish Bulgarian
Level of English Very high High Very high Low Low High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October March - May, September - November November - April April - June, September and October April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ZAR - South African Rand (R) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $1549 $974 $659 $1289
Rent $1650 $615 $618 $274 $354 $567
Groceries $243 $114 $129 $169 $44 $10
Dining out $396 $165 $269 $108 $81 $227
Cafe $66 $38 $32 $45 $18 $27
Coworking space $331 $133 $151 $95 $49 $140
Mobile internet $40 $7 $27 $11 $3 $10
Public transportation $110 $21 $55 $60 $6 $30
Taxis $73 $9 $21 $20 $6 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $49 $10 $2 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $19 $8 $11 $18
Museums and sights $11 $29 $15 $8 $15 $12
Nightlife $124 $45 $43 $62 $22 $82
Gym $62 $30 $36 $41 $9 $23
Yoga $139 $59 $56 $55 $23 $62
Massage $89 $31 $30 $10 $15 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange MTN, Vodacom AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Uber, Bolt Grab BiTaksi TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not 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. Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. South African cuisine has been shaped by a long history of Dutch, Malay, British and Indian settlements, making the food diverse and strong in flavor. There is a strong emphasis on game in all of its different forms, as well as spicy sauces and sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish 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 Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight 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 Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow