Austin vs Bucharest vs Istanbul vs New York City vs Sofia vs Valencia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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New York City ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Valencia ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 15,520,000 8,323,340 1,270,169 834,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Turkish English (de facto) Bulgarian Spanish, Valencian
Level of English Very high High Low Very high High Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Sofia International Airport (SOF) Valencia Manises Airport (VLC)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October April - June, September and October April - June, September - November April-June, September-October March - June, September, October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) USD - US Dollar ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $659 $5431 $1289 $1976
Rent $1650 $615 $354 $2891 $567 $869
Groceries $243 $114 $44 $383 $10 $146
Dining out $396 $165 $81 $656 $227 $292
Cafe $66 $38 $18 $72 $27 $42
Coworking space $331 $133 $49 $326 $140 $152
Mobile internet $40 $7 $3 $45 $10 $16
Public transportation $110 $21 $6 $220 $30 $38
Taxis $73 $9 $6 $78 $12 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $2 $30 $40 $30
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $11 $100 $18 $73
Museums and sights $11 $29 $15 $74 $12 $44
Nightlife $124 $45 $22 $195 $82 $66
Gym $62 $30 $9 $55 $23 $34
Yoga $139 $59 $23 $197 $62 $87
Massage $89 $31 $15 $109 $29 $45
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom AT&T, Verizon A1, Telenor, Vivacom Vodafone, Orange
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi Uber, Lyft TaxiMe, TaxiStars Cabify, FreeNow
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish American. Emphasis on comfort and fast food, with some good seafood dishes. Influence from other regions of the US, North America and the world make NYC a cosmopolitan and international cuisine hub that is incredibly diverse. 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. Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Pizza, clam chowder, bagels, corned beef, pastrami, cheesecake, hot dogs, and hundred of other international food options. Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator Paella, fideuร , esgarrat, orxata, bunyols
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Delis, local pizza shops, street food stalls and food trucks, food markets, local bakeries and smaller, authentic international cuisine restaurants Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches)
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 309 options on HappyCow 20 options on HappyCow 98 listings on Happy Cow