Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Lisbon vs Mexico City vs Seoul

Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Larnaca ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 15,520,000 144,900 517,000 8,850,000 9,963,452
Official language(s) Turkish Greek Portuguese Spanish Korean
Level of English Low High Very high Moderate Moderate
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October March - May, October - December March - May, September, October March - May, October, November March - May, September - November
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $659 $1959 $1984 $1867 $2184
Rent $354 $678 $965 $778 $797
Groceries $44 $157 $136 $281 $356
Dining out $81 $261 $271 $182 $211
Cafe $18 $56 $37 $49 $69
Coworking space $49 $209 $164 $159 $222
Mobile internet $3 $35 $24 $25 $40
Public transportation $6 $63 $63 $11 $40
Taxis $6 $42 $27 $9 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $45 $18 $24 $13
Sport and cultural events $11 $28 $29 $81 $39
Museums and sights $15 $8 $24 $20 $6
Nightlife $22 $110 $47 $64 $93
Gym $9 $107 $65 $69 $69
Yoga $23 $105 $65 $65 $112
Massage $15 $54 $50 $51 $75
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Vodafone Telcel, Movistar KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services Not customary or expected
Taxi apps BiTaksi nTaxi Uber, FreeNow Uber Uber, Kakao
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture.
Local food specialities Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
Eat like a local Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 59 listings on Happy Cow 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available 401 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow