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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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| Population | 1,830,000 | 15,520,000 | 517,000 | 1,270,169 |
| Official language(s) | Romanian | Turkish | Portuguese | Bulgarian |
| Level of English | High | Low | Very high | High |
| Main airport | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
| Most common months to visit | April - October | April - June, September and October | March - May, September, October | April-June, September-October |
| Currency | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | EUR - Euro (€) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) |
| Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) | Accepted everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | No | No | Yes | No |
| Average monthly costs | $1351 | $659 | $1984 | $1289 |
| Rent | $615 | $354 | $965 | $567 |
| Groceries | $114 | $44 | $136 | $10 |
| Dining out | $165 | $81 | $271 | $227 |
| Cafe | $38 | $18 | $37 | $27 |
| Coworking space | $133 | $49 | $164 | $140 |
| Mobile internet | $7 | $3 | $24 | $10 |
| Public transportation | $21 | $6 | $63 | $30 |
| Taxis | $9 | $6 | $27 | $12 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $25 | $2 | $18 | $40 |
| Sport and cultural events | $29 | $11 | $29 | $18 |
| Museums and sights | $29 | $15 | $24 | $12 |
| Nightlife | $45 | $22 | $47 | $82 |
| Gym | $30 | $9 | $65 | $23 |
| Yoga | $59 | $23 | $65 | $62 |
| Massage | $31 | $15 | $50 | $29 |
| SIM card options | Vodafone, Orange | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | 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, cafés and bars | 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés |
| Taxi apps | Star Taxi, Uber | BiTaksi | Uber, FreeNow | 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 | 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, 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 | 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 | 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 | 401 listings on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow |