Austin ๐บ๐ธ
|
Istanbul ๐น๐ท
|
Larnaca ๐จ๐พ
|
Lisbon ๐ต๐น
|
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Population | 926,426 | 15,520,000 | 144,900 | 517,000 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Turkish | Greek | Portuguese |
Level of English | Very high | Low | High | Very high |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Larnaca International Airport (LCA) | Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | April - June, September and October | March - May, October - December | March - May, September, October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $659 | $1959 | $1984 |
Rent | $1650 | $354 | $678 | $965 |
Groceries | $243 | $44 | $157 | $136 |
Dining out | $396 | $81 | $261 | $271 |
Cafe | $66 | $18 | $56 | $37 |
Coworking space | $331 | $49 | $209 | $164 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $3 | $35 | $24 |
Public transportation | $110 | $6 | $63 | $63 |
Taxis | $73 | $6 | $42 | $27 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $2 | $45 | $18 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $11 | $28 | $29 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $15 | $8 | $24 |
Nightlife | $124 | $22 | $110 | $47 |
Gym | $62 | $9 | $107 | $65 |
Yoga | $139 | $23 | $105 | $65 |
Massage | $89 | $15 | $54 | $50 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN | Vodafone |
Tipping | 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars | 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars | 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | BiTaksi | nTaxi | Uber, FreeNow |
Tap water | 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. | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. | Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries |
Local food specialities | Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos | Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight | Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka | Bacalhau ร bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana |
Eat like a local | Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. | Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available | 401 listings on Happy Cow |