Austin vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Lviv vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Larnaca ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ
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Lviv ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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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 (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โ‚ด) 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