Austin ๐บ๐ธ
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Cape Town ๐ฟ๐ฆ
|
Istanbul ๐น๐ท
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Larnaca ๐จ๐พ
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Lviv ๐บ๐ฆ
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Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
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Population | 926,426 | 4,617,560 | 15,520,000 | 144,900 | 731,387 | 1,270,169 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Turkish | Greek | Ukrainian | Bulgarian |
Level of English | Very high | Very high | Low | High | Low | High |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Larnaca International Airport (LCA) | Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | March - May, September - November | April - June, September and October | March - May, October - December | May - September | April-June, September-October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โด) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1549 | $659 | $1959 | $922 | $1289 |
Rent | $1650 | $618 | $354 | $678 | $400 | $567 |
Groceries | $243 | $129 | $44 | $157 | $91 | $10 |
Dining out | $396 | $269 | $81 | $261 | $151 | $227 |
Cafe | $66 | $32 | $18 | $56 | $21 | $27 |
Coworking space | $331 | $151 | $49 | $209 | $79 | $140 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $27 | $3 | $35 | $4 | $10 |
Public transportation | $110 | $55 | $6 | $63 | $5 | $30 |
Taxis | $73 | $21 | $6 | $42 | $12 | $12 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $49 | $2 | $45 | $16 | $40 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $19 | $11 | $28 | $13 | $18 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $15 | $15 | $8 | $9 | $12 |
Nightlife | $124 | $43 | $22 | $110 | $43 | $82 |
Gym | $62 | $36 | $9 | $107 | $22 | $23 |
Yoga | $139 | $56 | $23 | $105 | $30 | $62 |
Massage | $89 | $30 | $15 | $54 | $27 | $29 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | MTN, Vodacom | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN | Vodafone, Kyivstar | A1, Telenor, Vivacom |
Tipping | 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars | 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars | 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars | 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Uber, Bolt | BiTaksi | nTaxi | Uber, Uklon | TaxiMe, TaxiStars |
Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not 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. | 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 sautรฉed 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 | Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. | 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. |
Local food specialities | Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos | Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow | Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight | Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka | Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky | 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 | 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 | Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. | Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 24 options on HappyCow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available | 9 options on HappyCow | 20 options on HappyCow |