Austin 🇺🇸
|
Bogota 🇨🇴
|
Istanbul 🇹🇷
|
Sofia 🇧🇬
|
Valencia 🇪🇸
|
|
Population | 926,426 | 10,978,360 | 15,520,000 | 1,270,169 | 834,000 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Spanish | Turkish | Bulgarian | Spanish, Valencian |
Level of English | Very high | Low | Low | High | Moderate |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | El Dorado International Airport (BOG) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) | Valencia Manises Airport (VLC) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | January - March, December | April - June, September and October | April-June, September-October | March - June, September, October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | COP - Colombian Peso ($) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) | EUR - Euro (€) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1097 | $659 | $1289 | $1976 |
Rent | $1650 | $480 | $354 | $567 | $869 |
Groceries | $243 | $82 | $44 | $10 | $146 |
Dining out | $396 | $174 | $81 | $227 | $292 |
Cafe | $66 | $22 | $18 | $27 | $42 |
Coworking space | $331 | $77 | $49 | $140 | $152 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $11 | $3 | $10 | $16 |
Public transportation | $110 | $23 | $6 | $30 | $38 |
Taxis | $73 | $28 | $6 | $12 | $42 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $17 | $2 | $40 | $30 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $22 | $11 | $18 | $73 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $7 | $15 | $12 | $44 |
Nightlife | $124 | $46 | $22 | $82 | $66 |
Gym | $62 | $15 | $9 | $23 | $34 |
Yoga | $139 | $57 | $23 | $62 | $87 |
Massage | $89 | $37 | $15 | $29 | $45 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Tigo, Movistar, Claro | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | A1, Telenor, Vivacom | Vodafone, Orange |
Tipping | 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars | 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés | Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Uber, Cabify | BiTaksi | TaxiMe, TaxiStars | Cabify, FreeNow |
Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not 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. | Latin American. Dishes with beef, pork and chicken are often mixed with flour-based foods and fruity desserts. Heavy influence from the Andes and other Colombian regions. | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | 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 | Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator | Paella, fideuà , esgarrat, orxata, bunyols |
Eat like a local | Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries | Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menú del dÃa. Community markets and sports bars. | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | 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 | 104 options on Happy Cow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow | 98 listings on Happy Cow |