Austin vs Barbados vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lviv vs Madrid vs Sofia

Austin 🇺🇸
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Barbados 🇧🇧
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lviv 🇺🇦
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Madrid 🇪🇸
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 926,426 110,000 2,900,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 731,387 6,578,0179 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) English, Bajan Creole Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Ukrainian Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English Very high Very high High Very high Low Low Moderate High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November November - May September - December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October May - September March - May, September - November April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (₴) EUR - Euro (€) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes No No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $2702 $1321 $1549 $659 $922 $2498 $1289
Rent $1650 $1054 $844 $618 $354 $400 $1174 $567
Groceries $243 $234 $98 $129 $44 $91 $175 $10
Dining out $396 $345 $121 $269 $81 $151 $313 $227
Cafe $66 $75 $25 $32 $18 $21 $51 $27
Coworking space $331 $321 $95 $151 $49 $79 $196 $140
Mobile internet $40 $49 $11 $27 $3 $4 $10 $10
Public transportation $110 $35 $9 $55 $6 $5 $78 $30
Taxis $73 $106 $9 $21 $6 $12 $44 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $0 $14 $49 $2 $16 $49 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $37 $24 $19 $11 $13 $54 $18
Museums and sights $11 $36 $4 $15 $15 $9 $20 $12
Nightlife $124 $96 $23 $43 $22 $43 $82 $82
Gym $62 $86 $14 $36 $9 $22 $44 $23
Yoga $139 $130 $19 $56 $23 $30 $142 $62
Massage $89 $99 $10 $30 $15 $27 $64 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Digicel Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, Kyivstar Orange, Movistar, Vodafone A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10 - 15% usually included in restaurants, add 10 - 15% at bars 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft None available Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, Uklon Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not 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. Bajan cuisine features an eclectic mix of European, Asian, and Caribbean styles resulting in bold, tasty and crunchy meat or fish dishes with lots of spices, lime juice, thyme and salads laden with local vegetables and hot side dishes. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options South African cuisine has been shaped by a long history of Dutch, Malay, British and Indian settlements, making the food diverse and strong in flavor. There is a strong emphasis on game in all of its different forms, as well as spicy sauces and sautéed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Slavic. Emphasis on frilled meats combined with potatoes, carrots, pickles and cabbage. Creamy deserts often elaborated with cottage cheese. Lviv enjoys culinary influences from Kiev (traditional with an emphasis on chicken) and Odessa (various seafood dishes). Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. 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 Cou-cou and flying fish, fish cakes, cutters, pudding and souse, macaroni pie, conkies, Bajan black cake, sea eggs Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileña, churros 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 trucks, pubs, seaside street food, roadside carts, local seafood restaurants, smaller traditional restaurants and rum shops Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries 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! Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 14 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 9 options on HappyCow 85 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow