Bangkok ๐น๐ญ
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Istanbul ๐น๐ท
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Madrid ๐ช๐ธ
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Mexico City ๐ฒ๐ฝ
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Playa del Carmen ๐ฒ๐ฝ
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Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
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Population | 5,680,000 | 15,520,000 | 6,578,0179 | 8,850,000 | 259,453 | 1,270,169 |
Official language(s) | Thai | Turkish | Spanish | Spanish | Spanish | Bulgarian |
Level of English | Low | Low | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High |
Main airport | Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) | Mexico City International Airport (MEX) | Cancun International Airport (CUN) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
Most common months to visit | January - March, November, December | April - June, September and October | March - May, September - November | March - May, October, November | January - May, October - December | April-June, September-October |
Currency | THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Widely accepted (less with AMEX) | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Average monthly costs | $1560 | $659 | $2498 | $1867 | $2143 | $1289 |
Rent | $616 | $354 | $1174 | $778 | $923 | $567 |
Groceries | $191 | $44 | $175 | $281 | $127 | $10 |
Dining out | $168 | $81 | $313 | $182 | $207 | $227 |
Cafe | $45 | $18 | $51 | $49 | $42 | $27 |
Coworking space | $127 | $49 | $196 | $159 | $160 | $140 |
Mobile internet | $23 | $3 | $10 | $25 | $21 | $10 |
Public transportation | $32 | $6 | $78 | $11 | $17 | $30 |
Taxis | $19 | $6 | $44 | $9 | $9 | $12 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $17 | $2 | $49 | $24 | $49 | $40 |
Sport and cultural events | $46 | $11 | $54 | $81 | $97 | $18 |
Museums and sights | $21 | $15 | $20 | $20 | $217 | $12 |
Nightlife | $50 | $22 | $82 | $64 | $77 | $82 |
Gym | $96 | $9 | $44 | $69 | $42 | $23 |
Yoga | $98 | $23 | $142 | $65 | $54 | $62 |
Massage | $11 | $15 | $64 | $51 | $101 | $29 |
SIM card options | AIS | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Orange, Movistar, Vodafone | Telcel, Movistar | Telcel, Movistar | A1, Telenor, Vivacom |
Tipping | 10% for restaurants, bars and services | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars | Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. | 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services | 10-15% for restaurants | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs |
Taxi apps | Grab | BiTaksi | Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now | Uber | N/A | TaxiMe, TaxiStars |
Tap water | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable |
Overall cuisine | Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup | 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. | Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese | Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices | 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 | Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight | Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros | Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas | Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator |
Eat like a local | Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants | 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! | Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) | Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 416 listings on Happy Cow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 85 listings on Happy Cow | 279 listings on Happy Cow | 72 listings on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow |