Istanbul vs Lviv vs Seoul vs Sofia

Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lviv ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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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 9,963,452 1,270,169
Official language(s) Turkish Ukrainian Korean Bulgarian
Level of English Low Low Moderate High
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) Incheon International Airport (ICN) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October May - September March - May, September - November April-June, September-October
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โ‚ด) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No
Average monthly costs $659 $922 $2184 $1289
Rent $354 $400 $797 $567
Groceries $44 $91 $356 $10
Dining out $81 $151 $211 $227
Cafe $18 $21 $69 $27
Coworking space $49 $79 $222 $140
Mobile internet $3 $4 $40 $10
Public transportation $6 $5 $40 $30
Taxis $6 $12 $41 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $16 $13 $40
Sport and cultural events $11 $13 $39 $18
Museums and sights $15 $9 $6 $12
Nightlife $22 $43 $93 $82
Gym $9 $22 $69 $23
Yoga $23 $30 $112 $62
Massage $15 $27 $75 $29
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, Kyivstar KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere Not customary or expected 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps BiTaksi Uber, Uklon Uber, Kakao TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Not 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). 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 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 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 57 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow