Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Madrid vs Mexico City vs Valencia

Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Madrid 🇪🇸
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Mexico City 🇲🇽
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Valencia 🇪🇸
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Population 15,520,000 517,000 6,578,0179 8,850,000 834,000
Official language(s) Turkish Portuguese Spanish Spanish Spanish, Valencian
Level of English Low Very high Moderate Moderate Moderate
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Valencia Manises Airport (VLC)
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, September - November March - May, October, November March - June, September, October
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) EUR - Euro (€) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) EUR - Euro (€)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $659 $1984 $2498 $1867 $1976
Rent $354 $965 $1174 $778 $869
Groceries $44 $136 $175 $281 $146
Dining out $81 $271 $313 $182 $292
Cafe $18 $37 $51 $49 $42
Coworking space $49 $164 $196 $159 $152
Mobile internet $3 $24 $10 $25 $16
Public transportation $6 $63 $78 $11 $38
Taxis $6 $27 $44 $9 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $18 $49 $24 $30
Sport and cultural events $11 $29 $54 $81 $73
Museums and sights $15 $24 $20 $20 $44
Nightlife $22 $47 $82 $64 $66
Gym $9 $65 $44 $69 $34
Yoga $23 $65 $142 $65 $87
Massage $15 $50 $64 $51 $45
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Telcel, Movistar Vodafone, Orange
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now Uber Cabify, FreeNow
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable 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 Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats
Local food specialities Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileña, churros Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Paella, fideuà, esgarrat, orxata, bunyols
Eat like a local Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros! Markets, food stalls, menú del día (cheap set lunch menus) Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches)
Vegetarian / vegan options 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 98 listings on Happy Cow