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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Budapest ðŸ‡ðŸ‡º
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Chiang Mai 🇹ðŸ‡
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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| Population | 1,830,000 | 1,768,073 | 1,166,978 | 15,520,000 | 9,963,452 | 1,270,169 |
| Official language(s) | Romanian | Hungarian | Thai | Turkish | Korean | Bulgarian |
| Level of English | High | High | Low | Low | Moderate | High |
| Main airport | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) | Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Incheon International Airport (ICN) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
| Most common months to visit | April - October | March - June, September - November | November - April | April - June, September and October | March - May, September - November | April-June, September-October |
| Currency | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) | THB - Thai Baht (฿) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | KRW - South Korean won (₩) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) |
| Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops | Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Average monthly costs | $1351 | $1230 | $974 | $659 | $2184 | $1289 |
| Rent | $615 | $499 | $274 | $354 | $797 | $567 |
| Groceries | $114 | $108 | $169 | $44 | $356 | $10 |
| Dining out | $165 | $202 | $108 | $81 | $211 | $227 |
| Cafe | $38 | $29 | $45 | $18 | $69 | $27 |
| Coworking space | $133 | $120 | $95 | $49 | $222 | $140 |
| Mobile internet | $7 | $9 | $11 | $3 | $40 | $10 |
| Public transportation | $21 | $36 | $60 | $6 | $40 | $30 |
| Taxis | $9 | $27 | $20 | $6 | $41 | $12 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $25 | $13 | $10 | $2 | $13 | $40 |
| Sport and cultural events | $29 | $24 | $8 | $11 | $39 | $18 |
| Museums and sights | $29 | $7 | $8 | $15 | $6 | $12 |
| Nightlife | $45 | $43 | $62 | $22 | $93 | $82 |
| Gym | $30 | $37 | $41 | $9 | $69 | $23 |
| Yoga | $59 | $48 | $55 | $23 | $112 | $62 |
| Massage | $31 | $26 | $10 | $15 | $75 | $29 |
| SIM card options | Vodafone, Orange | Vodafone, Telenor | AIS, DTAC | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus | A1, Telenor, Vivacom |
| Tipping | 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis | 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars | 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | Not customary or expected | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés |
| Taxi apps | Star Taxi, Uber | Bolt, Fotaxi | Grab | BiTaksi | Uber, Kakao | TaxiMe, TaxiStars |
| Tap water | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable |
| Overall cuisine | Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. | 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. | Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables. | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture. | 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 | Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi | Goulash, Fisherman's soup, Főzelék, Somloi Galuska, Pörkölt and Paprikás, Kürtös Kalács, Hungarian Lecsó, Lángos | Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator |
| Eat like a local | Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias | Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants | Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. |
| Vegetarian / vegan options | 33 listings on Happy Cow | 47 options on HappyCow | 90 options on HappyCow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 57 options on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow |