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Berlin 🇩🇪
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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| Population | 3,400,000 | 15,520,000 | 1,270,169 |
| Official language(s) | German | Turkish | Bulgarian |
| Level of English | Very high | Low | High |
| Main airport | Berlin Tegel (TXL) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
| Most common months to visit | May - September | April - June, September and October | April-June, September-October |
| Currency | EUR - Euro (€) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) |
| Credit cards | Accepted in some places but cash often preferred | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | Yes | No | No |
| Average monthly costs | $2200 | $659 | $1289 |
| Rent | $939 | $354 | $567 |
| Groceries | $188 | $44 | $10 |
| Dining out | $271 | $81 | $227 |
| Cafe | $57 | $18 | $27 |
| Coworking space | $174 | $49 | $140 |
| Mobile internet | $23 | $3 | $10 |
| Public transportation | $88 | $6 | $30 |
| Taxis | $58 | $6 | $12 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $17 | $2 | $40 |
| Sport and cultural events | $64 | $11 | $18 |
| Museums and sights | $37 | $15 | $12 |
| Nightlife | $63 | $22 | $82 |
| Gym | $66 | $9 | $23 |
| Yoga | $99 | $23 | $62 |
| Massage | $56 | $15 | $29 |
| SIM card options | Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | A1, Telenor, Vivacom |
| Tipping | Round up for restaurants, not common for bars and services | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés |
| Taxi apps | Mytaxi, Uber | BiTaksi | TaxiMe, TaxiStars |
| Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable |
| Overall cuisine | Heavy and hearty meals with plenty of meat, potatoes and bread | 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 | Currywurst, spätzle, königsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator |
| Eat like a local | Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops | 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 | 844 listings on Happy Cow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow |