Bucharest ๐ท๐ด
|
Istanbul ๐น๐ท
|
Larnaca ๐จ๐พ
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Population | 1,830,000 | 15,520,000 | 144,900 |
Official language(s) | Romanian | Turkish | Greek |
Level of English | High | Low | High |
Main airport | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Larnaca International Airport (LCA) |
Most common months to visit | April - October | April - June, September and October | March - May, October - December |
Currency | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No |
Average monthly costs | $1351 | $659 | $1959 |
Rent | $615 | $354 | $678 |
Groceries | $114 | $44 | $157 |
Dining out | $165 | $81 | $261 |
Cafe | $38 | $18 | $56 |
Coworking space | $133 | $49 | $209 |
Mobile internet | $7 | $3 | $35 |
Public transportation | $21 | $6 | $63 |
Taxis | $9 | $6 | $42 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $25 | $2 | $45 |
Sport and cultural events | $29 | $11 | $28 |
Museums and sights | $29 | $15 | $8 |
Nightlife | $45 | $22 | $110 |
Gym | $30 | $9 | $107 |
Yoga | $59 | $23 | $105 |
Massage | $31 | $15 | $54 |
SIM card options | Vodafone, Orange | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN |
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 | 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars |
Taxi apps | Star Taxi, Uber | BiTaksi | nTaxi |
Tap water | 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 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.. |
Local food specialities | Sarmale, mฤmฤligฤ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤ de burtฤ, covrig, papanasi | Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight | Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka |
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. |
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 |