Bucharest vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Mexico City vs Valencia

Bucharest 🇷🇴
Remove
Istanbul 🇹🇷
Remove
Lisbon 🇵🇹
Remove
Mexico City 🇲🇽
Remove
Valencia 🇪🇸
Remove
Population 1,830,000 15,520,000 517,000 8,850,000 834,000
Official language(s) Romanian Turkish Portuguese Spanish Spanish, Valencian
Level of English High Low Very high Moderate Moderate
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Valencia Manises Airport (VLC)
Most common months to visit April - October April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, October, November March - June, September, October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) EUR - Euro (€)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $1351 $659 $1984 $1867 $1976
Rent $615 $354 $965 $778 $869
Groceries $114 $44 $136 $281 $146
Dining out $165 $81 $271 $182 $292
Cafe $38 $18 $37 $49 $42
Coworking space $133 $49 $164 $159 $152
Mobile internet $7 $3 $24 $25 $16
Public transportation $21 $6 $63 $11 $38
Taxis $9 $6 $27 $9 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $2 $18 $24 $30
Sport and cultural events $29 $11 $29 $81 $73
Museums and sights $29 $15 $24 $20 $44
Nightlife $45 $22 $47 $64 $66
Gym $30 $9 $65 $69 $34
Yoga $59 $23 $65 $65 $87
Massage $31 $15 $50 $51 $45
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar Vodafone, Orange
Tipping 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber Cabify, FreeNow
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian 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 Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats
Local food specialities Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Paella, fideuà, esgarrat, orxata, bunyols
Eat like a local Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Markets, food stalls, menú del día (cheap set lunch menus) Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches)
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 98 listings on Happy Cow