Austin vs Istanbul vs Sofia vs Valencia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Valencia ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Population 926,426 15,520,000 1,270,169 834,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Turkish Bulgarian Spanish, Valencian
Level of English Very high Low High Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Istanbul Airport (IST) Sofia International Airport (SOF) Valencia Manises Airport (VLC)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September and October April-June, September-October March - June, September, October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $659 $1289 $1976
Rent $1650 $354 $567 $869
Groceries $243 $44 $10 $146
Dining out $396 $81 $227 $292
Cafe $66 $18 $27 $42
Coworking space $331 $49 $140 $152
Mobile internet $40 $3 $10 $16
Public transportation $110 $6 $30 $38
Taxis $73 $6 $12 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $2 $40 $30
Sport and cultural events $54 $11 $18 $73
Museums and sights $11 $15 $12 $44
Nightlife $124 $22 $82 $66
Gym $62 $9 $23 $34
Yoga $139 $23 $62 $87
Massage $89 $15 $29 $45
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Turkcell, Turk Telekom A1, Telenor, Vivacom Vodafone, Orange
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, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft BiTaksi TaxiMe, TaxiStars Cabify, FreeNow
Tap water 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. 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 Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight 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 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 59 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow 98 listings on Happy Cow