Austin ๐บ๐ธ
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Istanbul ๐น๐ท
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Lviv ๐บ๐ฆ
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Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
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Tbilisi ๐ฌ๐ช
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Population | 926,426 | 15,520,000 | 731,387 | 1,270,169 | 1,108,700 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Turkish | Ukrainian | Bulgarian | Georgian |
Level of English | Very high | Low | Low | High | Low |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) | Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | April - June, September and October | May - September | April-June, September-October | March - June |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โด) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) | GEL - Georgian Lari (โพ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $659 | $922 | $1289 | $1462 |
Rent | $1650 | $354 | $400 | $567 | $752 |
Groceries | $243 | $44 | $91 | $10 | $112 |
Dining out | $396 | $81 | $151 | $227 | $169 |
Cafe | $66 | $18 | $21 | $27 | $45 |
Coworking space | $331 | $49 | $79 | $140 | $125 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $3 | $4 | $10 | $4 |
Public transportation | $110 | $6 | $5 | $30 | $8 |
Taxis | $73 | $6 | $12 | $12 | $14 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $2 | $16 | $40 | $27 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $11 | $13 | $18 | $21 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $15 | $9 | $12 | $9 |
Nightlife | $124 | $22 | $43 | $82 | $53 |
Gym | $62 | $9 | $22 | $23 | $33 |
Yoga | $139 | $23 | $30 | $62 | $37 |
Massage | $89 | $15 | $27 | $29 | $53 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Vodafone, Kyivstar | A1, Telenor, Vivacom | Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline |
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 | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs | 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafรฉs. |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | BiTaksi | Uber, Uklon | TaxiMe, TaxiStars | Yandex, Bolt |
Tap water | 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). | 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. | Cuisine of the Caucasus meets regional diversity in Georgia. Emphasis on spices and meats (poultry, beef, pork and mutton) as well as soups and creams. |
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 | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator | Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli |
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 | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. | Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 9 options on HappyCow | 20 options on HappyCow | 10 options on Happy Cow |