Austin 🇺🇸
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lviv 🇺🇦
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Mexico City 🇲🇽
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population | 926,426 | 2,900,000 | 4,617,560 | 15,520,000 | 731,387 | 8,850,000 | 9,963,452 | 1,270,169 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Spanish | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Turkish | Ukrainian | Spanish | Korean | Bulgarian |
Level of English | Very high | High | Very high | Low | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) | Mexico City International Airport (MEX) | Incheon International Airport (ICN) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | September - December | March - May, September - November | April - June, September and October | May - September | March - May, October, November | March - May, September - November | April-June, September-October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | ARS - Argentine Peso ($) | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (₴) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) | KRW - South Korean won (₩) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted in most places | Accepted almost everywhere | Widely accepted (less with AMEX) | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1321 | $1549 | $659 | $922 | $1867 | $2184 | $1289 |
Rent | $1650 | $844 | $618 | $354 | $400 | $778 | $797 | $567 |
Groceries | $243 | $98 | $129 | $44 | $91 | $281 | $356 | $10 |
Dining out | $396 | $121 | $269 | $81 | $151 | $182 | $211 | $227 |
Cafe | $66 | $25 | $32 | $18 | $21 | $49 | $69 | $27 |
Coworking space | $331 | $95 | $151 | $49 | $79 | $159 | $222 | $140 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $11 | $27 | $3 | $4 | $25 | $40 | $10 |
Public transportation | $110 | $9 | $55 | $6 | $5 | $11 | $40 | $30 |
Taxis | $73 | $9 | $21 | $6 | $12 | $9 | $41 | $12 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $14 | $49 | $2 | $16 | $24 | $13 | $40 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $24 | $19 | $11 | $13 | $81 | $39 | $18 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $4 | $15 | $15 | $9 | $20 | $6 | $12 |
Nightlife | $124 | $23 | $43 | $22 | $43 | $64 | $93 | $82 |
Gym | $62 | $14 | $36 | $9 | $22 | $69 | $69 | $23 |
Yoga | $139 | $19 | $56 | $23 | $30 | $65 | $112 | $62 |
Massage | $89 | $10 | $30 | $15 | $27 | $51 | $75 | $29 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Movistar, Claro, Personal | MTN, Vodacom | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Vodafone, Kyivstar | 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% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars | 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere | 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services | Not customary or expected | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) | Uber, Bolt | BiTaksi | Uber, Uklon | Uber | Uber, Kakao | TaxiMe, TaxiStars |
Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not 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. | Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options | 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 | Slavic. Emphasis on frilled meats combined with potatoes, carrots, pickles and cabbage. Creamy deserts often elaborated with cottage cheese. Lviv enjoys culinary influences from Kiev (traditional with an emphasis on chicken) and Odessa (various seafood dishes). | Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese | 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 | Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores | Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky | Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas | 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 restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas | 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 | Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries | Markets, food stalls, menú del dÃa (cheap set lunch menus) | 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 | 79 options on Happy Cow | 24 options on HappyCow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 9 options on HappyCow | 279 listings on Happy Cow | 57 options on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow |