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Bucharest ๐ท๐ด
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Istanbul ๐น๐ท
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Larnaca ๐จ๐พ
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Lisbon ๐ต๐น
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Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
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| Population | 1,830,000 | 15,520,000 | 144,900 | 517,000 | 1,270,169 |
| Official language(s) | Romanian | Turkish | Greek | Portuguese | Bulgarian |
| Level of English | High | Low | High | Very high | High |
| Main airport | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Larnaca International Airport (LCA) | Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
| Most common months to visit | April - October | April - June, September and October | March - May, October - December | March - May, September, October | April-June, September-October |
| Currency | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) |
| Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) | Accepted everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Average monthly costs | $1351 | $659 | $1959 | $1984 | $1289 |
| Rent | $615 | $354 | $678 | $965 | $567 |
| Groceries | $114 | $44 | $157 | $136 | $10 |
| Dining out | $165 | $81 | $261 | $271 | $227 |
| Cafe | $38 | $18 | $56 | $37 | $27 |
| Coworking space | $133 | $49 | $209 | $164 | $140 |
| Mobile internet | $7 | $3 | $35 | $24 | $10 |
| Public transportation | $21 | $6 | $63 | $63 | $30 |
| Taxis | $9 | $6 | $42 | $27 | $12 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $25 | $2 | $45 | $18 | $40 |
| Sport and cultural events | $29 | $11 | $28 | $29 | $18 |
| Museums and sights | $29 | $15 | $8 | $24 | $12 |
| Nightlife | $45 | $22 | $110 | $47 | $82 |
| Gym | $30 | $9 | $107 | $65 | $23 |
| Yoga | $59 | $23 | $105 | $65 | $62 |
| Massage | $31 | $15 | $54 | $50 | $29 |
| SIM card options | Vodafone, Orange | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN | Vodafone | 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 | 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 cafรฉs |
| Taxi apps | Star Taxi, Uber | BiTaksi | nTaxi | Uber, FreeNow | TaxiMe, TaxiStars |
| Tap water | Not drinkable | 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 | 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. |
| 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 | Bacalhau ร bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana | 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 | 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 | 20 options on HappyCow |