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Istanbul ๐น๐ท
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Lisbon ๐ต๐น
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Madrid ๐ช๐ธ
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| Population | 15,520,000 | 517,000 | 6,578,0179 |
| Official language(s) | Turkish | Portuguese | Spanish |
| Level of English | Low | Very high | Moderate |
| Main airport | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) | Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) |
| Most common months to visit | April - June, September and October | March - May, September, October | March - May, September - November |
| Currency | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) |
| Credit cards | Accepted in most places | Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) | Accepted everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | No | Yes | Yes |
| Average monthly costs | $659 | $1984 | $2498 |
| Rent | $354 | $965 | $1174 |
| Groceries | $44 | $136 | $175 |
| Dining out | $81 | $271 | $313 |
| Cafe | $18 | $37 | $51 |
| Coworking space | $49 | $164 | $196 |
| Mobile internet | $3 | $24 | $10 |
| Public transportation | $6 | $63 | $78 |
| Taxis | $6 | $27 | $44 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $2 | $18 | $49 |
| Sport and cultural events | $11 | $29 | $54 |
| Museums and sights | $15 | $24 | $20 |
| Nightlife | $22 | $47 | $82 |
| Gym | $9 | $65 | $44 |
| Yoga | $23 | $65 | $142 |
| Massage | $15 | $50 | $64 |
| SIM card options | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Vodafone | Orange, Movistar, Vodafone |
| Tipping | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars | 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars | Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. |
| Taxi apps | BiTaksi | Uber, FreeNow | Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now |
| Tap water | Not drinkable | Drinkable | 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 | Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. |
| Local food specialities | Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight | Bacalhau ร bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana | Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros |
| Eat like a local | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants | Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros! |
| Vegetarian / vegan options | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 401 listings on Happy Cow | 85 listings on Happy Cow |