Bucharest ๐ท๐ด
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Istanbul ๐น๐ท
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Seoul ๐ฐ๐ท
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Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
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Population | 1,830,000 | 15,520,000 | 9,963,452 | 1,270,169 |
Official language(s) | Romanian | Turkish | Korean | Bulgarian |
Level of English | High | Low | Moderate | High |
Main airport | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Incheon International Airport (ICN) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
Most common months to visit | April - October | April - June, September and October | March - May, September - November | April-June, September-October |
Currency | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | KRW - South Korean won (โฉ) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No |
Average monthly costs | $1351 | $659 | $2184 | $1289 |
Rent | $615 | $354 | $797 | $567 |
Groceries | $114 | $44 | $356 | $10 |
Dining out | $165 | $81 | $211 | $227 |
Cafe | $38 | $18 | $69 | $27 |
Coworking space | $133 | $49 | $222 | $140 |
Mobile internet | $7 | $3 | $40 | $10 |
Public transportation | $21 | $6 | $40 | $30 |
Taxis | $9 | $6 | $41 | $12 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $25 | $2 | $13 | $40 |
Sport and cultural events | $29 | $11 | $39 | $18 |
Museums and sights | $29 | $15 | $6 | $12 |
Nightlife | $45 | $22 | $93 | $82 |
Gym | $30 | $9 | $69 | $23 |
Yoga | $59 | $23 | $112 | $62 |
Massage | $31 | $15 | $75 | $29 |
SIM card options | Vodafone, Orange | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus | 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 | Not customary or expected | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs |
Taxi apps | Star Taxi, Uber | BiTaksi | Uber, Kakao | TaxiMe, TaxiStars |
Tap water | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | 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 | Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture. | 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, mฤmฤligฤ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤ de burtฤ, covrig, papanasi | Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight | Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam | 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 | Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets | 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 | 57 options on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow |