Bucharest vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Porto vs Sofia vs Valencia

Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Porto 🇵🇹
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Valencia 🇪🇸
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Population 1,830,000 15,520,000 517,000 237,559 1,270,169 834,000
Official language(s) Romanian Turkish Portuguese Portuguese Bulgarian Spanish, Valencian
Level of English High Low Very high Very High High Moderate
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Francisco Sá Carneiro International Airport (OPO) Sofia International Airport (SOF) Valencia Manises Airport (VLC)
Most common months to visit April - October April - June, September and October March - May, September, October May - September April-June, September-October March - June, September, October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) EUR - Euro (€) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) EUR - Euro (€)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $1351 $659 $1984 $1759 $1289 $1976
Rent $615 $354 $965 $717 $567 $869
Groceries $114 $44 $136 $148 $10 $146
Dining out $165 $81 $271 $280 $227 $292
Cafe $38 $18 $37 $45 $27 $42
Coworking space $133 $49 $164 $96 $140 $152
Mobile internet $7 $3 $24 $21 $10 $16
Public transportation $21 $6 $63 $95 $30 $38
Taxis $9 $6 $27 $25 $12 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $2 $18 $10 $40 $30
Sport and cultural events $29 $11 $29 $45 $18 $73
Museums and sights $29 $15 $24 $24 $12 $44
Nightlife $45 $22 $47 $66 $82 $66
Gym $30 $9 $65 $56 $23 $34
Yoga $59 $23 $65 $82 $62 $87
Massage $31 $15 $50 $48 $29 $45
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Vodafone, MEO, NOS A1, Telenor, Vivacom Vodafone, Orange
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 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 5-10% at restaurants if happy with service, not expected at cafes or bars 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber, MyTaxi, Cabify TaxiMe, TaxiStars Cabify, FreeNow
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable 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 A variety of meats often mixed with fresh legumes and vegetables. Emphasis on rich seafood dishes and creamy desserts. 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. Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats
Local food specialities Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bacalhau, Alheira de Mirandela, Francesinha, queido da serra da estrela, tripas a moda do Oporto, pasteis de chaves, tarte de amendoa Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator Paella, fideuà, esgarrat, orxata, bunyols
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 Local taverns, terraces, markets, tascas, churrascarias and local sports bars Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches)
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 46 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow 98 listings on Happy Cow