Istanbul vs Porto vs Sofia vs Tbilisi

Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
Remove
Porto ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
Remove
Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
Remove
Tbilisi ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช
Remove
Population 15,520,000 237,559 1,270,169 1,108,700
Official language(s) Turkish Portuguese Bulgarian Georgian
Level of English Low Very High High Low
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Francisco Sรก Carneiro International Airport (OPO) Sofia International Airport (SOF) Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October May - September April-June, September-October March - June
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) GEL - Georgian Lari (โ‚พ)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $659 $1759 $1289 $1462
Rent $354 $717 $567 $752
Groceries $44 $148 $10 $112
Dining out $81 $280 $227 $169
Cafe $18 $45 $27 $45
Coworking space $49 $96 $140 $125
Mobile internet $3 $21 $10 $4
Public transportation $6 $95 $30 $8
Taxis $6 $25 $12 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $10 $40 $27
Sport and cultural events $11 $45 $18 $21
Museums and sights $15 $24 $12 $9
Nightlife $22 $66 $82 $53
Gym $9 $56 $23 $33
Yoga $23 $82 $62 $37
Massage $15 $48 $29 $53
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, MEO, NOS A1, Telenor, Vivacom Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 5-10% at restaurants if happy with service, not expected at cafes or bars 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafรฉs.
Taxi apps BiTaksi Uber, MyTaxi, Cabify TaxiMe, TaxiStars Yandex, Bolt
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish 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. 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 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 Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli
Eat like a local Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Local taverns, terraces, markets, tascas, churrascarias and local sports bars Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars
Vegetarian / vegan options 59 listings on Happy Cow 46 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow 10 options on Happy Cow