Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Mexico City vs Sofia

Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 15,520,000 517,000 8,850,000 1,270,169
Official language(s) Turkish Portuguese Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English Low Very high Moderate High
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, October, November April-June, September-October
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $659 $1984 $1867 $1289
Rent $354 $965 $778 $567
Groceries $44 $136 $281 $10
Dining out $81 $271 $182 $227
Cafe $18 $37 $49 $27
Coworking space $49 $164 $159 $140
Mobile internet $3 $24 $25 $10
Public transportation $6 $63 $11 $30
Taxis $6 $27 $9 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $18 $24 $40
Sport and cultural events $11 $29 $81 $18
Museums and sights $15 $24 $20 $12
Nightlife $22 $47 $64 $82
Gym $9 $65 $69 $23
Yoga $23 $65 $65 $62
Massage $15 $50 $51 $29
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not 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 Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese 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 Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow