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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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| Population | 1,830,000 | 1,768,073 | 1,166,978 | 15,520,000 | 9,963,452 |
| Official language(s) | Romanian | Hungarian | Thai | Turkish | Korean |
| Level of English | High | High | Low | Low | Moderate |
| Main airport | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) | Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Incheon International Airport (ICN) |
| Most common months to visit | April - October | March - June, September - November | November - April | April - June, September and October | March - May, September - November |
| Currency | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) | THB - Thai Baht (฿) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | KRW - South Korean won (₩) |
| 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 |
| Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | No |
| Average monthly costs | $1351 | $1230 | $974 | $659 | $2184 |
| Rent | $615 | $499 | $274 | $354 | $797 |
| Groceries | $114 | $108 | $169 | $44 | $356 |
| Dining out | $165 | $202 | $108 | $81 | $211 |
| Cafe | $38 | $29 | $45 | $18 | $69 |
| Coworking space | $133 | $120 | $95 | $49 | $222 |
| Mobile internet | $7 | $9 | $11 | $3 | $40 |
| Public transportation | $21 | $36 | $60 | $6 | $40 |
| Taxis | $9 | $27 | $20 | $6 | $41 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $25 | $13 | $10 | $2 | $13 |
| Sport and cultural events | $29 | $24 | $8 | $11 | $39 |
| Museums and sights | $29 | $7 | $8 | $15 | $6 |
| Nightlife | $45 | $43 | $62 | $22 | $93 |
| Gym | $30 | $37 | $41 | $9 | $69 |
| Yoga | $59 | $48 | $55 | $23 | $112 |
| Massage | $31 | $26 | $10 | $15 | $75 |
| SIM card options | Vodafone, Orange | Vodafone, Telenor | AIS, DTAC | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus |
| 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 |
| Taxi apps | Star Taxi, Uber | Bolt, Fotaxi | Grab | BiTaksi | Uber, Kakao |
| Tap water | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | 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. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |