|
Austin 🇺🇸
|
Istanbul 🇹🇷
|
Medellin 🇨🇴
|
Sofia 🇧🇬
|
Tbilisi 🇬🇪
|
|
| Population | 926,426 | 15,520,000 | 2,427,000 | 1,270,169 | 1,108,700 |
| Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Turkish | Spanish | Bulgarian | Georgian |
| Level of English | Very high | Low | Low | High | Low |
| Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | José MarÃa Córdova International Airport (MDE) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) | Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) |
| Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | April - June, September and October | January - April, December | April-June, September-October | March - June |
| Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | COP - Colombian Peso ($) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) | GEL - Georgian Lari (₾) |
| Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted in some places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Average monthly costs | $3484 | $659 | $1293 | $1289 | $1462 |
| Rent | $1650 | $354 | $732 | $567 | $752 |
| Groceries | $243 | $44 | $87 | $10 | $112 |
| Dining out | $396 | $81 | $131 | $227 | $169 |
| Cafe | $66 | $18 | $18 | $27 | $45 |
| Coworking space | $331 | $49 | $96 | $140 | $125 |
| Mobile internet | $40 | $3 | $16 | $10 | $4 |
| Public transportation | $110 | $6 | $21 | $30 | $8 |
| Taxis | $73 | $6 | $14 | $12 | $14 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $2 | $0 | $40 | $27 |
| Sport and cultural events | $54 | $11 | $8 | $18 | $21 |
| Museums and sights | $11 | $15 | $9 | $12 | $9 |
| Nightlife | $124 | $22 | $73 | $82 | $53 |
| Gym | $62 | $9 | $15 | $23 | $33 |
| Yoga | $139 | $23 | $54 | $62 | $37 |
| Massage | $89 | $15 | $20 | $29 | $53 |
| SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Claro, Tigo | 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, cafés and bars | Tip 10% in restaurants | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés | 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafés. |
| Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | BiTaksi | EasyTaxi | 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 | A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats | 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 | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa | 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 | Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food | 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 | 153 listings on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow | 10 options on Happy Cow |