Austin 🇺🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Panama City 🇵🇦
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Ubud 🇮🇩
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Population | 926,426 | 1,830,000 | 4,617,560 | 15,520,000 | 2,427,000 | 880,691 | 1,270,169 | 112,490 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Romanian | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Turkish | Spanish | Spanish | Bulgarian | Indonesian and Balinese |
Level of English | Very high | High | Very high | Low | Low | Low | High | Low |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | José MarÃa Córdova International Airport (MDE) | Tocumen International Airport (PTY) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) | Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPA) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | April - October | March - May, September - November | April - June, September and October | January - April, December | December - April | April-June, September-October | May - October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | COP - Colombian Peso ($) | PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) | IDR - Indonesian Rupiah (Rp) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted in most places | Accepted in some places | Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. | Accepted everywhere | Accepted in some places |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1351 | $1549 | $659 | $1293 | $2359 | $1289 | $1363 |
Rent | $1650 | $615 | $618 | $354 | $732 | $1036 | $567 | $658 |
Groceries | $243 | $114 | $129 | $44 | $87 | $236 | $10 | $150 |
Dining out | $396 | $165 | $269 | $81 | $131 | $371 | $227 | $10 |
Cafe | $66 | $38 | $32 | $18 | $18 | $43 | $27 | $28 |
Coworking space | $331 | $133 | $151 | $49 | $96 | $157 | $140 | $106 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $7 | $27 | $3 | $16 | $21 | $10 | $3 |
Public transportation | $110 | $21 | $55 | $6 | $21 | $12 | $30 | $53 |
Taxis | $73 | $9 | $21 | $6 | $14 | $48 | $12 | $13 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $25 | $49 | $2 | $0 | $0 | $40 | $33 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $29 | $19 | $11 | $8 | $35 | $18 | $14 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $29 | $15 | $15 | $9 | $9 | $12 | $9 |
Nightlife | $124 | $45 | $43 | $22 | $73 | $117 | $82 | $118 |
Gym | $62 | $30 | $36 | $9 | $15 | $37 | $23 | $72 |
Yoga | $139 | $59 | $56 | $23 | $54 | $163 | $62 | $87 |
Massage | $89 | $31 | $30 | $15 | $20 | $75 | $29 | $10 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Vodafone, Orange | MTN, Vodacom | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Claro, Tigo | Claro, Movistar | A1, Telenor, Vivacom | Telkomsel, XL Axiata |
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 | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | Tip 10% in restaurants | 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés | Tip 5 - 10% in restaurants if service charge is not included in the bill |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Star Taxi, Uber | Uber, Bolt | BiTaksi | EasyTaxi | Uber, Tu Chofer | TaxiMe, TaxiStars | Grab, GoJek |
Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not 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 sautéed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats | Latin American. Emphasis on rice, beans, coconut, and local fruits and vegetables. Pork and beef are regularly used and influence from the islands gives seafood dishes a prominent spot in Panamanian cuisine. | 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. | Balinese foods revolve on the complex flavors from certain ingredients like fresh vegetables, meat, coconut milk, and time-tested spices mixture. |
Local food specialities | Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos | Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi | Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa | Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameños, tostones, ropa vieja | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator | Satay, nasi goreng, gado-gado, martabak, bubur sumsum |
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 | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food | Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. | Warung for authentic babi guling and bebek betutu, cafes for kopi luwak, street stalls for pisang goreng, nasi campur, and sate lilit |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 33 listings on Happy Cow | 24 options on HappyCow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 153 listings on Happy Cow | 7 options on HappyCow | 20 options on HappyCow | 255 listings on Happy Cow |