Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Lviv vs Madrid

Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Lviv ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Population 4,617,560 15,520,000 517,000 731,387 6,578,0179
Official language(s) Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese Ukrainian Spanish
Level of English Very high Low Very high Low Moderate
Main airport Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October May - September March - May, September - November
Currency ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โ‚ด) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $1549 $659 $1984 $922 $2498
Rent $618 $354 $965 $400 $1174
Groceries $129 $44 $136 $91 $175
Dining out $269 $81 $271 $151 $313
Cafe $32 $18 $37 $21 $51
Coworking space $151 $49 $164 $79 $196
Mobile internet $27 $3 $24 $4 $10
Public transportation $55 $6 $63 $5 $78
Taxis $21 $6 $27 $12 $44
Shared bicycles and scooters $49 $2 $18 $16 $49
Sport and cultural events $19 $11 $29 $13 $54
Museums and sights $15 $15 $24 $9 $20
Nightlife $43 $22 $47 $43 $82
Gym $36 $9 $65 $22 $44
Yoga $56 $23 $65 $30 $142
Massage $30 $15 $50 $27 $64
SIM card options MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Vodafone, Kyivstar Orange, Movistar, Vodafone
Tipping 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated.
Taxi apps Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber, Uklon Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine South African cuisine has been shaped by a long history of Dutch, Malay, British and Indian settlements, making the food diverse and strong in flavor. There is a strong emphasis on game in all of its different forms, as well as spicy sauces and sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Slavic. Emphasis on frilled meats combined with potatoes, carrots, pickles and cabbage. Creamy deserts often elaborated with cottage cheese. Lviv enjoys culinary influences from Kiev (traditional with an emphasis on chicken) and Odessa (various seafood dishes). Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors.
Local food specialities Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros
Eat like a local Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros!
Vegetarian / vegan options 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 9 options on HappyCow 85 listings on Happy Cow