Austin vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Mexico City vs Seoul vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
Remove
Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
Remove
Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
Remove
Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
Remove
Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
Remove
Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
Remove
Population 926,426 2,900,000 15,520,000 8,850,000 9,963,452 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Turkish Spanish Korean Bulgarian
Level of English Very high High Low Moderate Moderate High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Incheon International Airport (ICN) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November September - December April - June, September and October March - May, October, November March - May, September - November April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1321 $659 $1867 $2184 $1289
Rent $1650 $844 $354 $778 $797 $567
Groceries $243 $98 $44 $281 $356 $10
Dining out $396 $121 $81 $182 $211 $227
Cafe $66 $25 $18 $49 $69 $27
Coworking space $331 $95 $49 $159 $222 $140
Mobile internet $40 $11 $3 $25 $40 $10
Public transportation $110 $9 $6 $11 $40 $30
Taxis $73 $9 $6 $9 $41 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $14 $2 $24 $13 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $24 $11 $81 $39 $18
Museums and sights $11 $4 $15 $20 $6 $12
Nightlife $124 $23 $22 $64 $93 $82
Gym $62 $14 $9 $69 $69 $23
Yoga $139 $19 $23 $65 $112 $62
Massage $89 $10 $15 $51 $75 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom 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 cafรฉs is common, not common at bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services Not customary or expected 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi Uber Uber, Kakao TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water 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 A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish 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 Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight 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 cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (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 59 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow