Austin vs Istanbul vs Lviv vs Tbilisi

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lviv ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Tbilisi ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช
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Population 926,426 15,520,000 731,387 1,108,700
Official language(s) English (de facto) Turkish Ukrainian Georgian
Level of English Very high Low Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Istanbul Airport (IST) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September and October May - September March - June
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โ‚ด) GEL - Georgian Lari (โ‚พ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $659 $922 $1462
Rent $1650 $354 $400 $752
Groceries $243 $44 $91 $112
Dining out $396 $81 $151 $169
Cafe $66 $18 $21 $45
Coworking space $331 $49 $79 $125
Mobile internet $40 $3 $4 $4
Public transportation $110 $6 $5 $8
Taxis $73 $6 $12 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $2 $16 $27
Sport and cultural events $54 $11 $13 $21
Museums and sights $11 $15 $9 $9
Nightlife $124 $22 $43 $53
Gym $62 $9 $22 $33
Yoga $139 $23 $30 $37
Massage $89 $15 $27 $53
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, Kyivstar 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% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafรฉs.
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft BiTaksi Uber, Uklon Yandex, Bolt
Tap water 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). 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 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 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 10 options on Happy Cow