Hanoi vs Istanbul vs Mexico City vs Playa del Carmen vs Rio de Janeiro vs Sofia

Hanoi ๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ณ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 8,053,663 15,520,000 8,850,000 259,453 6,718,903 1,270,169
Official language(s) Vietnamese Turkish Spanish Spanish Portuguese Bulgarian
Level of English Moderate Low Moderate Moderate Low High
Main airport Nแป™i Bร i International Airport (HAN) Istanbul Airport (IST) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Galeรฃo International Airport Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit January, February, October - December April - June, September and October March - May, October, November January - May, October - December January - March, December April-June, September-October
Currency VND - Vietnamese Dong (โ‚ซ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted in some places. Cash often preferred. Accepted in most places Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No No
Average monthly costs $1167 $659 $1867 $2143 $1833 $1289
Rent $503 $354 $778 $923 $1066 $567
Groceries $151 $44 $281 $127 $95 $10
Dining out $134 $81 $182 $207 $210 $227
Cafe $39 $18 $49 $42 $25 $27
Coworking space $72 $49 $159 $160 $130 $140
Mobile internet $4 $3 $25 $21 $7 $10
Public transportation $20 $6 $11 $17 $33 $30
Taxis $13 $6 $9 $9 $14 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $0 $2 $24 $49 $16 $40
Sport and cultural events $3 $11 $81 $97 $55 $18
Museums and sights $4 $15 $20 $217 $26 $12
Nightlife $89 $22 $64 $77 $54 $82
Gym $57 $9 $69 $42 $31 $23
Yoga $57 $23 $65 $54 $40 $62
Massage $21 $15 $51 $101 $32 $29
SIM card options Viettel, Mobifone Turkcell, Turk Telekom Telcel, Movistar Telcel, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping Not required but appreciated, especially in taxis, restaurants and bars. Round up or add 10%. Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10-15% for restaurants 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Grab, GoViet BiTaksi Uber N/A Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine A mix of French, Southeast Asian and Chinese with lots of fresh herbs and spices. Northern Vietnam cuisine includes a lot of fish and noodles. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices 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 Pho, cha ca, Vietnamese coffee, pastries and breads Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole 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 Noodle Houses, Bakeries, Coffee and Tea Houses, street food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's 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 104 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow