Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Mexico City vs Sofia vs Valencia

Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Mexico City 🇲🇽
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Valencia 🇪🇸
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Population 15,520,000 517,000 8,850,000 1,270,169 834,000
Official language(s) Turkish Portuguese Spanish Bulgarian Spanish, Valencian
Level of English Low Very high Moderate High Moderate
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Sofia International Airport (SOF) Valencia Manises Airport (VLC)
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, October, November April-June, September-October March - June, September, October
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) EUR - Euro (€)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $659 $1984 $1867 $1289 $1976
Rent $354 $965 $778 $567 $869
Groceries $44 $136 $281 $10 $146
Dining out $81 $271 $182 $227 $292
Cafe $18 $37 $49 $27 $42
Coworking space $49 $164 $159 $140 $152
Mobile internet $3 $24 $25 $10 $16
Public transportation $6 $63 $11 $30 $38
Taxis $6 $27 $9 $12 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $18 $24 $40 $30
Sport and cultural events $11 $29 $81 $18 $73
Museums and sights $15 $24 $20 $12 $44
Nightlife $22 $47 $64 $82 $66
Gym $9 $65 $69 $23 $34
Yoga $23 $65 $65 $62 $87
Massage $15 $50 $51 $29 $45
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar A1, Telenor, Vivacom Vodafone, Orange
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés 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 cafés Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber TaxiMe, TaxiStars Cabify, FreeNow
Tap water Not drinkable 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 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. 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 Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator 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 Markets, food stalls, menú del día (cheap set lunch menus) Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches)
Vegetarian / vegan options 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow 98 listings on Happy Cow