Austin vs Bangkok vs Barcelona vs Bucharest vs Lisbon vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Barcelona ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 5,585,556 1,830,000 517,000 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Catalan, Spanish Romanian Portuguese Bulgarian
Level of English Very high Low High High Very high High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December April - June, September - November April - October March - May, September, October April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) RON - Romanian Leu (L) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost evewhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $2384 $1351 $1984 $1289
Rent $1650 $616 $932 $615 $965 $567
Groceries $243 $191 $121 $114 $136 $10
Dining out $396 $168 $403 $165 $271 $227
Cafe $66 $45 $45 $38 $37 $27
Coworking space $331 $127 $213 $133 $164 $140
Mobile internet $40 $23 $10 $7 $24 $10
Public transportation $110 $32 $127 $21 $63 $30
Taxis $73 $19 $48 $9 $27 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $24 $25 $18 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $81 $29 $29 $18
Museums and sights $11 $21 $33 $29 $24 $12
Nightlife $124 $50 $112 $45 $47 $82
Gym $62 $96 $81 $30 $65 $23
Yoga $139 $98 $93 $59 $65 $62
Massage $89 $11 $59 $31 $50 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Vodafone, Movistar Vodafone, Orange Vodafone A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% for restaurants, bars and services 5-10% in restaurants if service is exceptional, not expected elsewhere 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Cabify, FreeNow Star Taxi, Uber Uber, FreeNow TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup Catalan cuisine makes extensive use of Mediterranean vegetables, legumes mixed with pork in its many varieties, chicken and fish. Regularly mixes sweet and savory flavors in specific dishes. This cuisine is known for being bold in flavor and striking in color, with a variety of specific regional dishes found the culinary hub that is Barcelona. Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries 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.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Paella, bombas, esqueixada, pa amb tomรกquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Taverns, tapas bars, local markets, bodegas and street food spots Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 416 listings on Happy Cow 98 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow