Istanbul vs Seoul

Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
Population 15,520,000 9,963,452
Official language(s) Turkish Korean
Level of English Low Moderate
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October March - May, September - November
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No
Average monthly costs $659 $2184
Rent $354 $797
Groceries $44 $356
Dining out $81 $211
Cafe $18 $69
Coworking space $49 $222
Mobile internet $3 $40
Public transportation $6 $40
Taxis $6 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $13
Sport and cultural events $11 $39
Museums and sights $15 $6
Nightlife $22 $93
Gym $9 $69
Yoga $23 $112
Massage $15 $75
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars Not customary or expected
Taxi apps BiTaksi Uber, Kakao
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture.
Local food specialities Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
Eat like a local Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 59 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow