Istanbul vs Lviv vs Mexico City vs New York City vs Seoul vs Sofia

Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lviv ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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New York City ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 15,520,000 731,387 8,850,000 8,323,340 9,963,452 1,270,169
Official language(s) Turkish Ukrainian Spanish English (de facto) Korean Bulgarian
Level of English Low Low Moderate Very high Moderate High
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Incheon International Airport (ICN) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October May - September March - May, October, November April - June, September - November March - May, September - November April-June, September-October
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โ‚ด) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) USD - US Dollar ($) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No No No
Average monthly costs $659 $922 $1867 $5431 $2184 $1289
Rent $354 $400 $778 $2891 $797 $567
Groceries $44 $91 $281 $383 $356 $10
Dining out $81 $151 $182 $656 $211 $227
Cafe $18 $21 $49 $72 $69 $27
Coworking space $49 $79 $159 $326 $222 $140
Mobile internet $3 $4 $25 $45 $40 $10
Public transportation $6 $5 $11 $220 $40 $30
Taxis $6 $12 $9 $78 $41 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $16 $24 $30 $13 $40
Sport and cultural events $11 $13 $81 $100 $39 $18
Museums and sights $15 $9 $20 $74 $6 $12
Nightlife $22 $43 $64 $195 $93 $82
Gym $9 $22 $69 $55 $69 $23
Yoga $23 $30 $65 $197 $112 $62
Massage $15 $27 $51 $109 $75 $29
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, Kyivstar Telcel, Movistar AT&T, Verizon KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars Not customary or expected 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps BiTaksi Uber, Uklon Uber Uber, Lyft Uber, Kakao TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish 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). Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese American. Emphasis on comfort and fast food, with some good seafood dishes. Influence from other regions of the US, North America and the world make NYC a cosmopolitan and international cuisine hub that is incredibly diverse. Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture. 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 Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Pizza, clam chowder, bagels, corned beef, pastrami, cheesecake, hot dogs, and hundred of other international food options. Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam 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 Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Delis, local pizza shops, street food stalls and food trucks, food markets, local bakeries and smaller, authentic international cuisine restaurants Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 59 listings on Happy Cow 9 options on HappyCow 279 listings on Happy Cow 309 options on HappyCow 57 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow