Austin vs Bogota vs Bucharest vs Lisbon vs Medellin vs Panama City vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bogota 🇨🇴
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Panama City 🇵🇦
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Population 926,426 10,978,360 1,830,000 517,000 2,427,000 880,691 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Romanian Portuguese Spanish Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Very high Low High Very high Low Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) Tocumen International Airport (PTY) Galeão International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, December April - October March - May, September, October January - April, December December - April January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) COP - Colombian Peso ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1097 $1351 $1984 $1293 $2359 $1833
Rent $1650 $480 $615 $965 $732 $1036 $1066
Groceries $243 $82 $114 $136 $87 $236 $95
Dining out $396 $174 $165 $271 $131 $371 $210
Cafe $66 $22 $38 $37 $18 $43 $25
Coworking space $331 $77 $133 $164 $96 $157 $130
Mobile internet $40 $11 $7 $24 $16 $21 $7
Public transportation $110 $23 $21 $63 $21 $12 $33
Taxis $73 $28 $9 $27 $14 $48 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $25 $18 $0 $0 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $22 $29 $29 $8 $35 $55
Museums and sights $11 $7 $29 $24 $9 $9 $26
Nightlife $124 $46 $45 $47 $73 $117 $54
Gym $62 $15 $30 $65 $15 $37 $31
Yoga $139 $57 $59 $65 $54 $163 $40
Massage $89 $37 $31 $50 $20 $75 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Tigo, Movistar, Claro Vodafone, Orange Vodafone Claro, Tigo Claro, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service 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 Tip 10% in restaurants 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber, Cabify Star Taxi, Uber Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi Uber, Tu Chofer Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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. Latin American. Dishes with beef, pork and chicken are often mixed with flour-based foods and fruity desserts. Heavy influence from the Andes and other Colombian regions. 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 A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats Latin American. Emphasis on rice, beans, coconut, and local fruits and vegetables. Pork and beef are regularly used and influence from the islands gives seafood dishes a prominent spot in Panamanian cuisine. Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameños, tostones, ropa vieja Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menú del día. Community markets and sports bars. Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 104 options on Happy Cow 33 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 7 options on HappyCow 54 options on Happy Cow