Istanbul vs Lviv vs Medellin vs Mexico City vs Rio de Janeiro vs Sofia

Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lviv 🇺🇦
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Mexico City 🇲🇽
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 15,520,000 731,387 2,427,000 8,850,000 6,718,903 1,270,169
Official language(s) Turkish Ukrainian Spanish Spanish Portuguese Bulgarian
Level of English Low Low Low Moderate Low High
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Galeão International Airport Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October May - September January - April, December March - May, October, November January - March, December April-June, September-October
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (₴) COP - Colombian Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $659 $922 $1293 $1867 $1833 $1289
Rent $354 $400 $732 $778 $1066 $567
Groceries $44 $91 $87 $281 $95 $10
Dining out $81 $151 $131 $182 $210 $227
Cafe $18 $21 $18 $49 $25 $27
Coworking space $49 $79 $96 $159 $130 $140
Mobile internet $3 $4 $16 $25 $7 $10
Public transportation $6 $5 $21 $11 $33 $30
Taxis $6 $12 $14 $9 $14 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $16 $0 $24 $16 $40
Sport and cultural events $11 $13 $8 $81 $55 $18
Museums and sights $15 $9 $9 $20 $26 $12
Nightlife $22 $43 $73 $64 $54 $82
Gym $9 $22 $15 $69 $31 $23
Yoga $23 $30 $54 $65 $40 $62
Massage $15 $27 $20 $51 $32 $29
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, Kyivstar Claro, Tigo Telcel, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere Tip 10% in restaurants 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps BiTaksi Uber, Uklon EasyTaxi Uber Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not 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). A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. 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 Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. 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 Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Markets, food stalls, menú del día (cheap set lunch menus) The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city. 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 153 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow