Berlin 🇩🇪
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Tbilisi 🇬🇪
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Population | 3,400,000 | 15,520,000 | 259,453 | 1,270,169 | 1,108,700 |
Official language(s) | German | Turkish | Spanish | Bulgarian | Georgian |
Level of English | Very high | Low | Moderate | High | Low |
Main airport | Berlin Tegel (TXL) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Cancun International Airport (CUN) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) | Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) |
Most common months to visit | May - September | April - June, September and October | January - May, October - December | April-June, September-October | March - June |
Currency | EUR - Euro (€) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) | GEL - Georgian Lari (₾) |
Credit cards | Accepted in some places but cash often preferred | Accepted in most places | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $2200 | $659 | $2143 | $1289 | $1462 |
Rent | $939 | $354 | $923 | $567 | $752 |
Groceries | $188 | $44 | $127 | $10 | $112 |
Dining out | $271 | $81 | $207 | $227 | $169 |
Cafe | $57 | $18 | $42 | $27 | $45 |
Coworking space | $174 | $49 | $160 | $140 | $125 |
Mobile internet | $23 | $3 | $21 | $10 | $4 |
Public transportation | $88 | $6 | $17 | $30 | $8 |
Taxis | $58 | $6 | $9 | $12 | $14 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $17 | $2 | $49 | $40 | $27 |
Sport and cultural events | $64 | $11 | $97 | $18 | $21 |
Museums and sights | $37 | $15 | $217 | $12 | $9 |
Nightlife | $63 | $22 | $77 | $82 | $53 |
Gym | $66 | $9 | $42 | $23 | $33 |
Yoga | $99 | $23 | $54 | $62 | $37 |
Massage | $56 | $15 | $101 | $29 | $53 |
SIM card options | Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Telcel, Movistar | A1, Telenor, Vivacom | Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline |
Tipping | Round up for restaurants, not common for bars and services | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | 10-15% for restaurants | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés | 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafés. |
Taxi apps | Mytaxi, Uber | BiTaksi | N/A | TaxiMe, TaxiStars | Yandex, Bolt |
Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not 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 | 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. | Cuisine of the Caucasus meets regional diversity in Georgia. Emphasis on spices and meats (poultry, beef, pork and mutton) as well as soups and creams. |
Local food specialities | Currywurst, spätzle, königsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator | Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli |
Eat like a local | Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | 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. | Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 844 listings on Happy Cow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 72 listings on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow | 10 options on Happy Cow |