Bucharest vs Budapest vs Istanbul vs New York City vs Seoul vs Sofia

Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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New York City 🇺🇸
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 1,830,000 1,768,073 15,520,000 8,323,340 9,963,452 1,270,169
Official language(s) Romanian Hungarian Turkish English (de facto) Korean Bulgarian
Level of English High High Low Very high Moderate High
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Istanbul Airport (IST) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Incheon International Airport (ICN) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - October March - June, September - November April - June, September and October April - June, September - November March - May, September - November April-June, September-October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) USD - US Dollar ($) KRW - South Korean won (₩) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No No
Average monthly costs $1351 $1230 $659 $5431 $2184 $1289
Rent $615 $499 $354 $2891 $797 $567
Groceries $114 $108 $44 $383 $356 $10
Dining out $165 $202 $81 $656 $211 $227
Cafe $38 $29 $18 $72 $69 $27
Coworking space $133 $120 $49 $326 $222 $140
Mobile internet $7 $9 $3 $45 $40 $10
Public transportation $21 $36 $6 $220 $40 $30
Taxis $9 $27 $6 $78 $41 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $13 $2 $30 $13 $40
Sport and cultural events $29 $24 $11 $100 $39 $18
Museums and sights $29 $7 $15 $74 $6 $12
Nightlife $45 $43 $22 $195 $93 $82
Gym $30 $37 $9 $55 $69 $23
Yoga $59 $48 $23 $197 $112 $62
Massage $31 $26 $15 $109 $75 $29
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Vodafone, Telenor Turkcell, Turk Telekom AT&T, Verizon 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 Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars Not customary or expected 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Bolt, Fotaxi BiTaksi Uber, Lyft Uber, Kakao TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable 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. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish American. Emphasis on comfort and fast food, with some good seafood dishes. Influence from other regions of the US, North America and the world make NYC a cosmopolitan and international cuisine hub that is incredibly diverse. 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 Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Pizza, clam chowder, bagels, corned beef, pastrami, cheesecake, hot dogs, and hundred of other international food options. 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 Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Delis, local pizza shops, street food stalls and food trucks, food markets, local bakeries and smaller, authentic international cuisine restaurants 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 59 listings on Happy Cow 309 options on HappyCow 57 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow