Bucharest ๐ท๐ด
|
Istanbul ๐น๐ท
|
Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
|
Valencia ๐ช๐ธ
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Population | 1,830,000 | 15,520,000 | 1,270,169 | 834,000 |
Official language(s) | Romanian | Turkish | Bulgarian | Spanish, Valencian |
Level of English | High | Low | High | Moderate |
Main airport | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) | Valencia Manises Airport (VLC) |
Most common months to visit | April - October | April - June, September and October | April-June, September-October | March - June, September, October |
Currency | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $1351 | $659 | $1289 | $1976 |
Rent | $615 | $354 | $567 | $869 |
Groceries | $114 | $44 | $10 | $146 |
Dining out | $165 | $81 | $227 | $292 |
Cafe | $38 | $18 | $27 | $42 |
Coworking space | $133 | $49 | $140 | $152 |
Mobile internet | $7 | $3 | $10 | $16 |
Public transportation | $21 | $6 | $30 | $38 |
Taxis | $9 | $6 | $12 | $42 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $25 | $2 | $40 | $30 |
Sport and cultural events | $29 | $11 | $18 | $73 |
Museums and sights | $29 | $15 | $12 | $44 |
Nightlife | $45 | $22 | $82 | $66 |
Gym | $30 | $9 | $23 | $34 |
Yoga | $59 | $23 | $62 | $87 |
Massage | $31 | $15 | $29 | $45 |
SIM card options | Vodafone, Orange | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | A1, Telenor, Vivacom | Vodafone, Orange |
Tipping | 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs | Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars |
Taxi apps | Star Taxi, Uber | BiTaksi | TaxiMe, TaxiStars | Cabify, FreeNow |
Tap water | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable |
Overall cuisine | Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | 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. | Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats |
Local food specialities | Sarmale, mฤmฤligฤ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤ de burtฤ, covrig, papanasi | Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator | Paella, fideuร , esgarrat, orxata, bunyols |
Eat like a local | Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. | Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches) |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 33 listings on Happy Cow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow | 98 listings on Happy Cow |