Barbados vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Sofia

Barbados 🇧🇧
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 110,000 2,900,000 15,520,000 517,000 1,270,169
Official language(s) English, Bajan Creole Spanish Turkish Portuguese Bulgarian
Level of English Very high High Low Very high High
Main airport Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit November - May September - December April - June, September and October March - May, September, October April-June, September-October
Currency BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa Yes No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $2702 $1321 $659 $1984 $1289
Rent $1054 $844 $354 $965 $567
Groceries $234 $98 $44 $136 $10
Dining out $345 $121 $81 $271 $227
Cafe $75 $25 $18 $37 $27
Coworking space $321 $95 $49 $164 $140
Mobile internet $49 $11 $3 $24 $10
Public transportation $35 $9 $6 $63 $30
Taxis $106 $9 $6 $27 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $0 $14 $2 $18 $40
Sport and cultural events $37 $24 $11 $29 $18
Museums and sights $36 $4 $15 $24 $12
Nightlife $96 $23 $22 $47 $82
Gym $86 $14 $9 $65 $23
Yoga $130 $19 $23 $65 $62
Massage $99 $10 $15 $50 $29
SIM card options Digicel Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 10 - 15% usually included in restaurants, add 10 - 15% at bars 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps None available Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine 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. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries 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 Cou-cou and flying fish, fish cakes, cutters, pudding and souse, macaroni pie, conkies, Bajan black cake, sea eggs Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Food trucks, pubs, seaside street food, roadside carts, local seafood restaurants, smaller traditional restaurants and rum shops Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 14 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow