|
Istanbul ๐น๐ท
|
Larnaca ๐จ๐พ
|
Tbilisi ๐ฌ๐ช
|
|
| Population | 15,520,000 | 144,900 | 1,108,700 |
| Official language(s) | Turkish | Greek | Georgian |
| Level of English | Low | High | Low |
| Main airport | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Larnaca International Airport (LCA) | Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) |
| Most common months to visit | April - June, September and October | March - May, October - December | March - June |
| Currency | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | GEL - Georgian Lari (โพ) |
| Credit cards | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | No | No | Yes |
| Average monthly costs | $659 | $1959 | $1462 |
| Rent | $354 | $678 | $752 |
| Groceries | $44 | $157 | $112 |
| Dining out | $81 | $261 | $169 |
| Cafe | $18 | $56 | $45 |
| Coworking space | $49 | $209 | $125 |
| Mobile internet | $3 | $35 | $4 |
| Public transportation | $6 | $63 | $8 |
| Taxis | $6 | $42 | $14 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $2 | $45 | $27 |
| Sport and cultural events | $11 | $28 | $21 |
| Museums and sights | $15 | $8 | $9 |
| Nightlife | $22 | $110 | $53 |
| Gym | $9 | $107 | $33 |
| Yoga | $23 | $105 | $37 |
| Massage | $15 | $54 | $53 |
| SIM card options | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN | Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline |
| Tipping | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars | 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars | 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafรฉs. |
| Taxi apps | BiTaksi | nTaxi | Yandex, Bolt |
| Tap water | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable |
| Overall cuisine | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. | Cuisine of the Caucasus meets regional diversity in Georgia. Emphasis on spices and meats (poultry, beef, pork and mutton) as well as soups and creams. |
| Local food specialities | Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight | Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka | Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli |
| Eat like a local | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. | Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars |
| Vegetarian / vegan options | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available | 10 options on Happy Cow |