Austin 🇺🇸
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Berlin 🇩🇪
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Larnaca 🇨🇾
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population | 926,426 | 3,400,000 | 15,520,000 | 144,900 | 517,000 | 6,718,903 | 1,270,169 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | German | Turkish | Greek | Portuguese | Portuguese | Bulgarian |
Level of English | Very high | Very high | Low | High | Very high | Low | High |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Berlin Tegel (TXL) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Larnaca International Airport (LCA) | Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) | Galeão International Airport | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | May - September | April - June, September and October | March - May, October - December | March - May, September, October | January - March, December | April-June, September-October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | EUR - Euro (€) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | EUR - Euro (€) | EUR - Euro (€) | BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in some places but cash often preferred | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $2200 | $659 | $1959 | $1984 | $1833 | $1289 |
Rent | $1650 | $939 | $354 | $678 | $965 | $1066 | $567 |
Groceries | $243 | $188 | $44 | $157 | $136 | $95 | $10 |
Dining out | $396 | $271 | $81 | $261 | $271 | $210 | $227 |
Cafe | $66 | $57 | $18 | $56 | $37 | $25 | $27 |
Coworking space | $331 | $174 | $49 | $209 | $164 | $130 | $140 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $23 | $3 | $35 | $24 | $7 | $10 |
Public transportation | $110 | $88 | $6 | $63 | $63 | $33 | $30 |
Taxis | $73 | $58 | $6 | $42 | $27 | $14 | $12 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $17 | $2 | $45 | $18 | $16 | $40 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $64 | $11 | $28 | $29 | $55 | $18 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $37 | $15 | $8 | $24 | $26 | $12 |
Nightlife | $124 | $63 | $22 | $110 | $47 | $54 | $82 |
Gym | $62 | $66 | $9 | $107 | $65 | $31 | $23 |
Yoga | $139 | $99 | $23 | $105 | $65 | $40 | $62 |
Massage | $89 | $56 | $15 | $54 | $50 | $32 | $29 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN | Vodafone | Tim, Claro, Vivo | A1, Telenor, Vivacom |
Tipping | 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars | Round up for restaurants, not common for bars and services | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars | 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars | 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Mytaxi, Uber | BiTaksi | nTaxi | Uber, FreeNow | Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber | TaxiMe, TaxiStars |
Tap water | Drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | 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. | Heavy and hearty meals with plenty of meat, potatoes and bread | 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 | Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. | 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 | Currywurst, spätzle, königsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka | Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana | Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. | 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 | Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops | 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 | The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city. | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 844 listings on Happy Cow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available | 401 listings on Happy Cow | 54 options on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow |