Barbados vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Sofia

Barbados ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ง
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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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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 110,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 517,000 1,270,169
Official language(s) English, Bajan Creole Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese Bulgarian
Level of English Very high Very high Low Very high High
Main airport Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit November - May March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October April-June, September-October
Currency BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa Yes No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $2702 $1549 $659 $1984 $1289
Rent $1054 $618 $354 $965 $567
Groceries $234 $129 $44 $136 $10
Dining out $345 $269 $81 $271 $227
Cafe $75 $32 $18 $37 $27
Coworking space $321 $151 $49 $164 $140
Mobile internet $49 $27 $3 $24 $10
Public transportation $35 $55 $6 $63 $30
Taxis $106 $21 $6 $27 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $0 $49 $2 $18 $40
Sport and cultural events $37 $19 $11 $29 $18
Museums and sights $36 $15 $15 $24 $12
Nightlife $96 $43 $22 $47 $82
Gym $86 $36 $9 $65 $23
Yoga $130 $56 $23 $65 $62
Massage $99 $30 $15 $50 $29
SIM card options Digicel MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 10 - 15% usually included in restaurants, add 10 - 15% at bars 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, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps None available Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Bajan cuisine features an eclectic mix of European, Asian, and Caribbean styles resulting in bold, tasty and crunchy meat or fish dishes with lots of spices, lime juice, thyme and salads laden with local vegetables and hot side dishes. 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 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 Cou-cou and flying fish, fish cakes, cutters, pudding and souse, macaroni pie, conkies, Bajan black cake, sea eggs 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 Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Food trucks, pubs, seaside street food, roadside carts, local seafood restaurants, smaller traditional restaurants and rum shops 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 Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 14 options on HappyCow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow