Austin ๐บ๐ธ
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Barcelona ๐ช๐ธ
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Bucharest ๐ท๐ด
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Cape Town ๐ฟ๐ฆ
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Hanoi ๐ป๐ณ
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Larnaca ๐จ๐พ
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Lviv ๐บ๐ฆ
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Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
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Population | 926,426 | 5,585,556 | 1,830,000 | 4,617,560 | 8,053,663 | 144,900 | 731,387 | 1,270,169 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Catalan, Spanish | Romanian | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Vietnamese | Greek | Ukrainian | Bulgarian |
Level of English | Very high | High | High | Very high | Moderate | High | Low | High |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Nแปi Bร i International Airport (HAN) | Larnaca International Airport (LCA) | Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | April - June, September - November | April - October | March - May, September - November | January, February, October - December | March - May, October - December | May - September | April-June, September-October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | VND - Vietnamese Dong (โซ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โด) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost evewhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted in some places. Cash often preferred. | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $2384 | $1351 | $1549 | $1167 | $1959 | $922 | $1289 |
Rent | $1650 | $932 | $615 | $618 | $503 | $678 | $400 | $567 |
Groceries | $243 | $121 | $114 | $129 | $151 | $157 | $91 | $10 |
Dining out | $396 | $403 | $165 | $269 | $134 | $261 | $151 | $227 |
Cafe | $66 | $45 | $38 | $32 | $39 | $56 | $21 | $27 |
Coworking space | $331 | $213 | $133 | $151 | $72 | $209 | $79 | $140 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $10 | $7 | $27 | $4 | $35 | $4 | $10 |
Public transportation | $110 | $127 | $21 | $55 | $20 | $63 | $5 | $30 |
Taxis | $73 | $48 | $9 | $21 | $13 | $42 | $12 | $12 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $24 | $25 | $49 | $0 | $45 | $16 | $40 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $81 | $29 | $19 | $3 | $28 | $13 | $18 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $33 | $29 | $15 | $4 | $8 | $9 | $12 |
Nightlife | $124 | $112 | $45 | $43 | $89 | $110 | $43 | $82 |
Gym | $62 | $81 | $30 | $36 | $57 | $107 | $22 | $23 |
Yoga | $139 | $93 | $59 | $56 | $57 | $105 | $30 | $62 |
Massage | $89 | $59 | $31 | $30 | $21 | $54 | $27 | $29 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Vodafone, Movistar | Vodafone, Orange | MTN, Vodacom | Viettel, Mobifone | Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN | Vodafone, Kyivstar | A1, Telenor, Vivacom |
Tipping | 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars | 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 | 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere | Not required but appreciated, especially in taxis, restaurants and bars. Round up or add 10%. | 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars | 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Cabify, FreeNow | Star Taxi, Uber | Uber, Bolt | Grab, GoViet | nTaxi | Uber, Uklon | TaxiMe, TaxiStars |
Tap water | Drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not 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. | 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. | 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 sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. | A mix of French, Southeast Asian and Chinese with lots of fresh herbs and spices. Northern Vietnam cuisine includes a lot of fish and noodles. | Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. | 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). | 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 | Paella, bombas, esqueixada, pa amb tomรกquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo | Sarmale, mฤmฤligฤ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤ de burtฤ, covrig, papanasi | Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow | Pho, cha ca, Vietnamese coffee, pastries and breads | Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka | Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky | 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 | Taverns, tapas bars, local markets, bodegas and street food spots | Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias | Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets | Noodle Houses, Bakeries, Coffee and Tea Houses, street food | Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. | Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 98 options on HappyCow | 33 listings on Happy Cow | 24 options on HappyCow | 104 listings on Happy Cow | 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available | 9 options on HappyCow | 20 options on HappyCow |