Bangkok vs Istanbul vs Madrid vs Mexico City vs Playa del Carmen vs Sofia

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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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 (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) 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