Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Playa del Carmen vs Porto vs Sofia

Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Porto ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 15,520,000 517,000 259,453 237,559 1,270,169
Official language(s) Turkish Portuguese Spanish Portuguese Bulgarian
Level of English Low Very high Moderate Very High High
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Francisco Sรก Carneiro International Airport (OPO) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October March - May, September, October January - May, October - December May - September April-June, September-October
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $659 $1984 $2143 $1759 $1289
Rent $354 $965 $923 $717 $567
Groceries $44 $136 $127 $148 $10
Dining out $81 $271 $207 $280 $227
Cafe $18 $37 $42 $45 $27
Coworking space $49 $164 $160 $96 $140
Mobile internet $3 $24 $21 $21 $10
Public transportation $6 $63 $17 $95 $30
Taxis $6 $27 $9 $25 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $18 $49 $10 $40
Sport and cultural events $11 $29 $97 $45 $18
Museums and sights $15 $24 $217 $24 $12
Nightlife $22 $47 $77 $66 $82
Gym $9 $65 $42 $56 $23
Yoga $23 $65 $54 $82 $62
Massage $15 $50 $101 $48 $29
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar Vodafone, MEO, NOS A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants 5-10% at restaurants if happy with service, not expected at cafes or bars 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow N/A Uber, MyTaxi, Cabify TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not 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 Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices A variety of meats often mixed with fresh legumes and vegetables. Emphasis on rich seafood dishes and creamy desserts. 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 Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole Bacalhau, Alheira de Mirandela, Francesinha, queido da serra da estrela, tripas a moda do Oporto, pasteis de chaves, tarte de amendoa 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 Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's Local taverns, terraces, markets, tascas, churrascarias and local sports bars Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow 46 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow