Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Lviv vs Medellin vs Mexico City vs Playa del Carmen vs Seoul

Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Lviv 🇺🇦
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Mexico City 🇲🇽
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Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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Population 15,520,000 517,000 731,387 2,427,000 8,850,000 259,453 9,963,452
Official language(s) Turkish Portuguese Ukrainian Spanish Spanish Spanish Korean
Level of English Low Very high Low Low Moderate Moderate Moderate
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October March - May, September, October May - September January - April, December March - May, October, November January - May, October - December March - May, September - November
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (₴) COP - Colombian Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) KRW - South Korean won (₩)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $659 $1984 $922 $1293 $1867 $2143 $2184
Rent $354 $965 $400 $732 $778 $923 $797
Groceries $44 $136 $91 $87 $281 $127 $356
Dining out $81 $271 $151 $131 $182 $207 $211
Cafe $18 $37 $21 $18 $49 $42 $69
Coworking space $49 $164 $79 $96 $159 $160 $222
Mobile internet $3 $24 $4 $16 $25 $21 $40
Public transportation $6 $63 $5 $21 $11 $17 $40
Taxis $6 $27 $12 $14 $9 $9 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $18 $16 $0 $24 $49 $13
Sport and cultural events $11 $29 $13 $8 $81 $97 $39
Museums and sights $15 $24 $9 $9 $20 $217 $6
Nightlife $22 $47 $43 $73 $64 $77 $93
Gym $9 $65 $22 $15 $69 $42 $69
Yoga $23 $65 $30 $54 $65 $54 $112
Massage $15 $50 $27 $20 $51 $101 $75
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Vodafone, Kyivstar Claro, Tigo Telcel, Movistar Telcel, Movistar KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere Tip 10% in restaurants 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10-15% for restaurants Not customary or expected
Taxi apps BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber, Uklon EasyTaxi Uber N/A Uber, Kakao
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine 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). A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture.
Local food specialities Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
Eat like a local Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Markets, food stalls, menú del día (cheap set lunch menus) Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 9 options on HappyCow 153 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow