Austin vs Istanbul vs Lviv vs Medellin vs Playa del Carmen vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lviv ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 926,426 15,520,000 731,387 2,427,000 259,453 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Turkish Ukrainian Spanish Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English Very high Low Low Low Moderate High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Istanbul Airport (IST) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September and October May - September January - April, December January - May, October - December April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โ‚ด) COP - Colombian Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $659 $922 $1293 $2143 $1289
Rent $1650 $354 $400 $732 $923 $567
Groceries $243 $44 $91 $87 $127 $10
Dining out $396 $81 $151 $131 $207 $227
Cafe $66 $18 $21 $18 $42 $27
Coworking space $331 $49 $79 $96 $160 $140
Mobile internet $40 $3 $4 $16 $21 $10
Public transportation $110 $6 $5 $21 $17 $30
Taxis $73 $6 $12 $14 $9 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $2 $16 $0 $49 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $11 $13 $8 $97 $18
Museums and sights $11 $15 $9 $9 $217 $12
Nightlife $124 $22 $43 $73 $77 $82
Gym $62 $9 $22 $15 $42 $23
Yoga $139 $23 $30 $54 $54 $62
Massage $89 $15 $27 $20 $101 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, Kyivstar Claro, Tigo Telcel, Movistar A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere Tip 10% in restaurants 10-15% for restaurants 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft BiTaksi Uber, Uklon EasyTaxi N/A 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. 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). A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices 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 Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole 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 Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 9 options on HappyCow 153 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow