Bucharest vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lviv vs Medellin vs Valencia

Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lviv 🇺🇦
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Valencia 🇪🇸
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Population 1,830,000 2,900,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 731,387 2,427,000 834,000
Official language(s) Romanian Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Ukrainian Spanish Spanish, Valencian
Level of English High High Very high Low Low Low Moderate
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) Valencia Manises Airport (VLC)
Most common months to visit April - October September - December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October May - September January - April, December March - June, September, October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (₴) COP - Colombian Peso ($) EUR - Euro (€)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $1351 $1321 $1549 $659 $922 $1293 $1976
Rent $615 $844 $618 $354 $400 $732 $869
Groceries $114 $98 $129 $44 $91 $87 $146
Dining out $165 $121 $269 $81 $151 $131 $292
Cafe $38 $25 $32 $18 $21 $18 $42
Coworking space $133 $95 $151 $49 $79 $96 $152
Mobile internet $7 $11 $27 $3 $4 $16 $16
Public transportation $21 $9 $55 $6 $5 $21 $38
Taxis $9 $9 $21 $6 $12 $14 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $14 $49 $2 $16 $0 $30
Sport and cultural events $29 $24 $19 $11 $13 $8 $73
Museums and sights $29 $4 $15 $15 $9 $9 $44
Nightlife $45 $23 $43 $22 $43 $73 $66
Gym $30 $14 $36 $9 $22 $15 $34
Yoga $59 $19 $56 $23 $30 $54 $87
Massage $31 $10 $30 $15 $27 $20 $45
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, Kyivstar Claro, Tigo Vodafone, Orange
Tipping 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere Tip 10% in restaurants Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, Uklon EasyTaxi Cabify, FreeNow
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not 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. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options South African cuisine has been shaped by a long history of Dutch, Malay, British and Indian settlements, making the food diverse and strong in flavor. There is a strong emphasis on game in all of its different forms, as well as spicy sauces and sautéed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Slavic. Emphasis on frilled meats combined with potatoes, carrots, pickles and cabbage. Creamy deserts often elaborated with cottage cheese. Lviv enjoys culinary influences from Kiev (traditional with an emphasis on chicken) and Odessa (various seafood dishes). A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats
Local food specialities Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Paella, fideuà, esgarrat, orxata, bunyols
Eat like a local Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches)
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 9 options on HappyCow 153 listings on Happy Cow 98 listings on Happy Cow