Bucharest vs Hanoi vs Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Sofia

Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
Remove
Hanoi ๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ณ
Remove
Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
Remove
Larnaca ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ
Remove
Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
Remove
Population 1,830,000 8,053,663 15,520,000 144,900 1,270,169
Official language(s) Romanian Vietnamese Turkish Greek Bulgarian
Level of English High Moderate Low High High
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Nแป™i Bร i International Airport (HAN) Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - October January, February, October - December April - June, September and October March - May, October - December April-June, September-October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) VND - Vietnamese Dong (โ‚ซ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places. Cash often preferred. Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No
Average monthly costs $1351 $1167 $659 $1959 $1289
Rent $615 $503 $354 $678 $567
Groceries $114 $151 $44 $157 $10
Dining out $165 $134 $81 $261 $227
Cafe $38 $39 $18 $56 $27
Coworking space $133 $72 $49 $209 $140
Mobile internet $7 $4 $3 $35 $10
Public transportation $21 $20 $6 $63 $30
Taxis $9 $13 $6 $42 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $0 $2 $45 $40
Sport and cultural events $29 $3 $11 $28 $18
Museums and sights $29 $4 $15 $8 $12
Nightlife $45 $89 $22 $110 $82
Gym $30 $57 $9 $107 $23
Yoga $59 $57 $23 $105 $62
Massage $31 $21 $15 $54 $29
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Viettel, Mobifone Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis Not required but appreciated, especially in taxis, restaurants and bars. Round up or add 10%. Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Grab, GoViet BiTaksi nTaxi TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not 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. A mix of French, Southeast Asian and Chinese with lots of fresh herbs and spices. Northern Vietnam cuisine includes a lot of fish and noodles. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. 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, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Pho, cha ca, Vietnamese coffee, pastries and breads Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Noodle Houses, Bakeries, Coffee and Tea Houses, street food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 104 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available 20 options on HappyCow