Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Medellin vs Sofia

Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 2,900,000 15,520,000 517,000 2,427,000 1,270,169
Official language(s) Spanish Turkish Portuguese Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English High Low Very high Low High
Main airport Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit September - December April - June, September and October March - May, September, October January - April, December April-June, September-October
Currency ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $1321 $659 $1984 $1293 $1289
Rent $844 $354 $965 $732 $567
Groceries $98 $44 $136 $87 $10
Dining out $121 $81 $271 $131 $227
Cafe $25 $18 $37 $18 $27
Coworking space $95 $49 $164 $96 $140
Mobile internet $11 $3 $24 $16 $10
Public transportation $9 $6 $63 $21 $30
Taxis $9 $6 $27 $14 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $14 $2 $18 $0 $40
Sport and cultural events $24 $11 $29 $8 $18
Museums and sights $4 $15 $24 $9 $12
Nightlife $23 $22 $47 $73 $82
Gym $14 $9 $65 $15 $23
Yoga $19 $23 $65 $54 $62
Massage $10 $15 $50 $20 $29
SIM card options Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Claro, Tigo A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats 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 Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow