Bucharest vs Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Lisbon vs Rio de Janeiro vs Sofia

Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Larnaca 🇨🇾
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 1,830,000 15,520,000 144,900 517,000 6,718,903 1,270,169
Official language(s) Romanian Turkish Greek Portuguese Portuguese Bulgarian
Level of English High Low High Very high Low High
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Galeão International Airport Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - October April - June, September and October March - May, October - December March - May, September, October January - March, December April-June, September-October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) EUR - Euro (€) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
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 No
Average monthly costs $1351 $659 $1959 $1984 $1833 $1289
Rent $615 $354 $678 $965 $1066 $567
Groceries $114 $44 $157 $136 $95 $10
Dining out $165 $81 $261 $271 $210 $227
Cafe $38 $18 $56 $37 $25 $27
Coworking space $133 $49 $209 $164 $130 $140
Mobile internet $7 $3 $35 $24 $7 $10
Public transportation $21 $6 $63 $63 $33 $30
Taxis $9 $6 $42 $27 $14 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $2 $45 $18 $16 $40
Sport and cultural events $29 $11 $28 $29 $55 $18
Museums and sights $29 $15 $8 $24 $26 $12
Nightlife $45 $22 $110 $47 $54 $82
Gym $30 $9 $107 $65 $31 $23
Yoga $59 $23 $105 $65 $40 $62
Massage $31 $15 $54 $50 $32 $29
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Vodafone Tim, Claro, Vivo 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, cafés and bars 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi nTaxi Uber, FreeNow Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber TaxiMe, TaxiStars
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 Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. 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, 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 Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. 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 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 The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city. 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 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available 401 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow