Berlin vs Budapest vs Istanbul vs Lisbon

Berlin 🇩🇪
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Population 3,400,000 1,768,073 15,520,000 517,000
Official language(s) German Hungarian Turkish Portuguese
Level of English Very high High Low Very high
Main airport Berlin Tegel (TXL) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS)
Most common months to visit May - September March - June, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October
Currency EUR - Euro (€) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€)
Credit cards Accepted in some places but cash often preferred Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX)
Remote worker visa Yes No No Yes
Average monthly costs $2200 $1230 $659 $1984
Rent $939 $499 $354 $965
Groceries $188 $108 $44 $136
Dining out $271 $202 $81 $271
Cafe $57 $29 $18 $37
Coworking space $174 $120 $49 $164
Mobile internet $23 $9 $3 $24
Public transportation $88 $36 $6 $63
Taxis $58 $27 $6 $27
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $13 $2 $18
Sport and cultural events $64 $24 $11 $29
Museums and sights $37 $7 $15 $24
Nightlife $63 $43 $22 $47
Gym $66 $37 $9 $65
Yoga $99 $48 $23 $65
Massage $56 $26 $15 $50
SIM card options Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Vodafone, Telenor Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone
Tipping Round up for restaurants, not common for bars and services 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Mytaxi, Uber Bolt, Fotaxi BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow
Tap water Drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Heavy and hearty meals with plenty of meat, potatoes and bread 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 Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries
Local food specialities Currywurst, spätzle, königsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels Goulash, Fisherman's soup, Főzelék, Somloi Galuska, Pörkölt and Paprikás, Kürtös Kalács, Hungarian Lecsó, Lángos Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana
Eat like a local Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants
Vegetarian / vegan options 844 listings on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow