Bangkok vs Budapest vs Istanbul vs Sofia

Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 5,680,000 1,768,073 15,520,000 1,270,169
Official language(s) Thai Hungarian Turkish Bulgarian
Level of English Low High Low High
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Istanbul Airport (IST) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December March - June, September - November April - June, September and October April-June, September-October
Currency THB - Thai Baht (฿) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No
Average monthly costs $1560 $1230 $659 $1289
Rent $616 $499 $354 $567
Groceries $191 $108 $44 $10
Dining out $168 $202 $81 $227
Cafe $45 $29 $18 $27
Coworking space $127 $120 $49 $140
Mobile internet $23 $9 $3 $10
Public transportation $32 $36 $6 $30
Taxis $19 $27 $6 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $13 $2 $40
Sport and cultural events $46 $24 $11 $18
Museums and sights $21 $7 $15 $12
Nightlife $50 $43 $22 $82
Gym $96 $37 $9 $23
Yoga $98 $48 $23 $62
Massage $11 $26 $15 $29
SIM card options AIS Vodafone, Telenor Turkcell, Turk Telekom A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps Grab Bolt, Fotaxi BiTaksi TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup Magyar cuisine makes extensive use of creams, cheeses and sauces primarily in beef, chicken and pork dishes, mixed with seasonal vegetables, fruits and rich 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.
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Goulash, Fisherman's soup, Főzelék, Somloi Galuska, Pörkölt and Paprikás, Kürtös Kalács, Hungarian Lecsó, Lángos Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants 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.
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow