Austin vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul vs Lviv vs Sofia vs Valencia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lviv ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Valencia ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Population 926,426 1,166,978 15,520,000 731,387 1,270,169 834,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Turkish Ukrainian Bulgarian Spanish, Valencian
Level of English Very high Low Low Low High Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) Sofia International Airport (SOF) Valencia Manises Airport (VLC)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November November - April April - June, September and October May - September April-June, September-October March - June, September, October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โ‚ด) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $974 $659 $922 $1289 $1976
Rent $1650 $274 $354 $400 $567 $869
Groceries $243 $169 $44 $91 $10 $146
Dining out $396 $108 $81 $151 $227 $292
Cafe $66 $45 $18 $21 $27 $42
Coworking space $331 $95 $49 $79 $140 $152
Mobile internet $40 $11 $3 $4 $10 $16
Public transportation $110 $60 $6 $5 $30 $38
Taxis $73 $20 $6 $12 $12 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $10 $2 $16 $40 $30
Sport and cultural events $54 $8 $11 $13 $18 $73
Museums and sights $11 $8 $15 $9 $12 $44
Nightlife $124 $62 $22 $43 $82 $66
Gym $62 $41 $9 $22 $23 $34
Yoga $139 $55 $23 $30 $62 $87
Massage $89 $10 $15 $27 $29 $45
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, Kyivstar A1, Telenor, Vivacom Vodafone, Orange
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab BiTaksi Uber, Uklon TaxiMe, TaxiStars Cabify, FreeNow
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. 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 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). 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. Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator Paella, fideuร , esgarrat, orxata, bunyols
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries 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 Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches)
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 9 options on HappyCow 20 options on HappyCow 98 listings on Happy Cow