Bangkok ๐น๐ญ
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Barbados ๐ง๐ง
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Istanbul ๐น๐ท
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Madrid ๐ช๐ธ
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Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
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Population | 5,680,000 | 110,000 | 15,520,000 | 6,578,0179 | 1,270,169 |
Official language(s) | Thai | English, Bajan Creole | Turkish | Spanish | Bulgarian |
Level of English | Low | Very high | Low | Moderate | High |
Main airport | Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) | Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
Most common months to visit | January - March, November, December | November - May | April - June, September and October | March - May, September - November | April-June, September-October |
Currency | THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) | BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Average monthly costs | $1560 | $2702 | $659 | $2498 | $1289 |
Rent | $616 | $1054 | $354 | $1174 | $567 |
Groceries | $191 | $234 | $44 | $175 | $10 |
Dining out | $168 | $345 | $81 | $313 | $227 |
Cafe | $45 | $75 | $18 | $51 | $27 |
Coworking space | $127 | $321 | $49 | $196 | $140 |
Mobile internet | $23 | $49 | $3 | $10 | $10 |
Public transportation | $32 | $35 | $6 | $78 | $30 |
Taxis | $19 | $106 | $6 | $44 | $12 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $17 | $0 | $2 | $49 | $40 |
Sport and cultural events | $46 | $37 | $11 | $54 | $18 |
Museums and sights | $21 | $36 | $15 | $20 | $12 |
Nightlife | $50 | $96 | $22 | $82 | $82 |
Gym | $96 | $86 | $9 | $44 | $23 |
Yoga | $98 | $130 | $23 | $142 | $62 |
Massage | $11 | $99 | $15 | $64 | $29 |
SIM card options | AIS | Digicel | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Orange, Movistar, Vodafone | A1, Telenor, Vivacom |
Tipping | 10% for restaurants, bars and services | 10 - 15% usually included in restaurants, add 10 - 15% at bars | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars | Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs |
Taxi apps | Grab | None available | BiTaksi | Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now | TaxiMe, TaxiStars |
Tap water | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable |
Overall cuisine | Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup | Bajan cuisine features an eclectic mix of European, Asian, and Caribbean styles resulting in bold, tasty and crunchy meat or fish dishes with lots of spices, lime juice, thyme and salads laden with local vegetables and hot side dishes. | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. | 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. |
Local food specialities | Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan | Cou-cou and flying fish, fish cakes, cutters, pudding and souse, macaroni pie, conkies, Bajan black cake, sea eggs | Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight | Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator |
Eat like a local | Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants | Food trucks, pubs, seaside street food, roadside carts, local seafood restaurants, smaller traditional restaurants and rum shops | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros! | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 416 listings on Happy Cow | 14 options on HappyCow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 85 listings on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow |