Bucharest vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Playa del Carmen vs Sofia

Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 1,830,000 15,520,000 517,000 259,453 1,270,169
Official language(s) Romanian Turkish Portuguese Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English High Low Very high Moderate High
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - October April - June, September and October March - May, September, October January - May, October - December April-June, September-October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1351 $659 $1984 $2143 $1289
Rent $615 $354 $965 $923 $567
Groceries $114 $44 $136 $127 $10
Dining out $165 $81 $271 $207 $227
Cafe $38 $18 $37 $42 $27
Coworking space $133 $49 $164 $160 $140
Mobile internet $7 $3 $24 $21 $10
Public transportation $21 $6 $63 $17 $30
Taxis $9 $6 $27 $9 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $2 $18 $49 $40
Sport and cultural events $29 $11 $29 $97 $18
Museums and sights $29 $15 $24 $217 $12
Nightlife $45 $22 $47 $77 $82
Gym $30 $9 $65 $42 $23
Yoga $59 $23 $65 $54 $62
Massage $31 $15 $50 $101 $29
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow N/A TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water 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 Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices 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 Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow