Bucharest vs Istanbul vs New York City vs Sofia

Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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New York City ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 1,830,000 15,520,000 8,323,340 1,270,169
Official language(s) Romanian Turkish English (de facto) Bulgarian
Level of English High Low Very high High
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - October April - June, September and October April - June, September - November April-June, September-October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) USD - US Dollar ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No
Average monthly costs $1351 $659 $5431 $1289
Rent $615 $354 $2891 $567
Groceries $114 $44 $383 $10
Dining out $165 $81 $656 $227
Cafe $38 $18 $72 $27
Coworking space $133 $49 $326 $140
Mobile internet $7 $3 $45 $10
Public transportation $21 $6 $220 $30
Taxis $9 $6 $78 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $2 $30 $40
Sport and cultural events $29 $11 $100 $18
Museums and sights $29 $15 $74 $12
Nightlife $45 $22 $195 $82
Gym $30 $9 $55 $23
Yoga $59 $23 $197 $62
Massage $31 $15 $109 $29
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom AT&T, Verizon 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 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi Uber, Lyft 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 American. Emphasis on comfort and fast food, with some good seafood dishes. Influence from other regions of the US, North America and the world make NYC a cosmopolitan and international cuisine hub that is incredibly diverse. 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, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Pizza, clam chowder, bagels, corned beef, pastrami, cheesecake, hot dogs, and hundred of other international food options. 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 Delis, local pizza shops, street food stalls and food trucks, food markets, local bakeries and smaller, authentic international cuisine 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 309 options on HappyCow 20 options on HappyCow