Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Medellin vs Sofia vs Ubud

Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Ubud 🇮🇩
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Population 15,520,000 517,000 2,427,000 1,270,169 112,490
Official language(s) Turkish Portuguese Spanish Bulgarian Indonesian and Balinese
Level of English Low Very high Low High Low
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) Sofia International Airport (SOF) Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPA)
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October March - May, September, October January - April, December April-June, September-October May - October
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) IDR - Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places Accepted everywhere Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No Yes No No Yes
Average monthly costs $659 $1984 $1293 $1289 $1363
Rent $354 $965 $732 $567 $658
Groceries $44 $136 $87 $10 $150
Dining out $81 $271 $131 $227 $10
Cafe $18 $37 $18 $27 $28
Coworking space $49 $164 $96 $140 $106
Mobile internet $3 $24 $16 $10 $3
Public transportation $6 $63 $21 $30 $53
Taxis $6 $27 $14 $12 $13
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $18 $0 $40 $33
Sport and cultural events $11 $29 $8 $18 $14
Museums and sights $15 $24 $9 $12 $9
Nightlife $22 $47 $73 $82 $118
Gym $9 $65 $15 $23 $72
Yoga $23 $65 $54 $62 $87
Massage $15 $50 $20 $29 $10
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Claro, Tigo A1, Telenor, Vivacom Telkomsel, XL Axiata
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés Tip 5 - 10% in restaurants if service charge is not included in the bill
Taxi apps BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi TaxiMe, TaxiStars Grab, GoJek
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not 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 A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats 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. Balinese foods revolve on the complex flavors from certain ingredients like fresh vegetables, meat, coconut milk, and time-tested spices mixture.
Local food specialities Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator Satay, nasi goreng, gado-gado, martabak, bubur sumsum
Eat like a local Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. Warung for authentic babi guling and bebek betutu, cafes for kopi luwak, street stalls for pisang goreng, nasi campur, and sate lilit
Vegetarian / vegan options 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow 255 listings on Happy Cow