Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Seoul vs Sofia

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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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 4,617,560 15,520,000 517,000 9,963,452 1,270,169
Official language(s) Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese Korean Bulgarian
Level of English Very high Low Very high Moderate High
Main airport Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Incheon International Airport (ICN) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, September - November April-June, September-October
Currency ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $1549 $659 $1984 $2184 $1289
Rent $618 $354 $965 $797 $567
Groceries $129 $44 $136 $356 $10
Dining out $269 $81 $271 $211 $227
Cafe $32 $18 $37 $69 $27
Coworking space $151 $49 $164 $222 $140
Mobile internet $27 $3 $24 $40 $10
Public transportation $55 $6 $63 $40 $30
Taxis $21 $6 $27 $41 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $49 $2 $18 $13 $40
Sport and cultural events $19 $11 $29 $39 $18
Museums and sights $15 $15 $24 $6 $12
Nightlife $43 $22 $47 $93 $82
Gym $36 $9 $65 $69 $23
Yoga $56 $23 $65 $112 $62
Massage $30 $15 $50 $75 $29
SIM card options MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Not customary or expected 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber, Kakao TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Drinkable Not 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 Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture. 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 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 Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
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 Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow