Bucharest vs Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Lisbon vs Sofia vs Tbilisi

Bucharest 🇷🇴
Remove
Istanbul 🇹🇷
Remove
Larnaca 🇨🇾
Remove
Lisbon 🇵🇹
Remove
Sofia 🇧🇬
Remove
Tbilisi 🇬🇪
Remove
Population 1,830,000 15,520,000 144,900 517,000 1,270,169 1,108,700
Official language(s) Romanian Turkish Greek Portuguese Bulgarian Georgian
Level of English High Low High Very high High Low
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Sofia International Airport (SOF) Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)
Most common months to visit April - October April - June, September and October March - May, October - December March - May, September, October April-June, September-October March - June
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) EUR - Euro (€) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) GEL - Georgian Lari (₾)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $1351 $659 $1959 $1984 $1289 $1462
Rent $615 $354 $678 $965 $567 $752
Groceries $114 $44 $157 $136 $10 $112
Dining out $165 $81 $261 $271 $227 $169
Cafe $38 $18 $56 $37 $27 $45
Coworking space $133 $49 $209 $164 $140 $125
Mobile internet $7 $3 $35 $24 $10 $4
Public transportation $21 $6 $63 $63 $30 $8
Taxis $9 $6 $42 $27 $12 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $2 $45 $18 $40 $27
Sport and cultural events $29 $11 $28 $29 $18 $21
Museums and sights $29 $15 $8 $24 $12 $9
Nightlife $45 $22 $110 $47 $82 $53
Gym $30 $9 $107 $65 $23 $33
Yoga $59 $23 $105 $65 $62 $37
Massage $31 $15 $54 $50 $29 $53
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Vodafone A1, Telenor, Vivacom Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline
Tipping 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafés.
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi nTaxi Uber, FreeNow TaxiMe, TaxiStars Yandex, Bolt
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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 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.. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries 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. Cuisine of the Caucasus meets regional diversity in Georgia. Emphasis on spices and meats (poultry, beef, pork and mutton) as well as soups and creams.
Local food specialities Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli
Eat like a local Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias 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. Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available 401 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow 10 options on Happy Cow