Austin vs Bogota vs Cape Town vs Lisbon vs Panama City vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bogota ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Panama City ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 926,426 10,978,360 4,617,560 517,000 880,691 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Portuguese Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English Very high Low Very high Very high Low High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Tocumen International Airport (PTY) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, December March - May, September - November March - May, September, October December - April April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) COP - Colombian Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1097 $1549 $1984 $2359 $1289
Rent $1650 $480 $618 $965 $1036 $567
Groceries $243 $82 $129 $136 $236 $10
Dining out $396 $174 $269 $271 $371 $227
Cafe $66 $22 $32 $37 $43 $27
Coworking space $331 $77 $151 $164 $157 $140
Mobile internet $40 $11 $27 $24 $21 $10
Public transportation $110 $23 $55 $63 $12 $30
Taxis $73 $28 $21 $27 $48 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $49 $18 $0 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $22 $19 $29 $35 $18
Museums and sights $11 $7 $15 $24 $9 $12
Nightlife $124 $46 $43 $47 $117 $82
Gym $62 $15 $36 $65 $37 $23
Yoga $139 $57 $56 $65 $163 $62
Massage $89 $37 $30 $50 $75 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Tigo, Movistar, Claro MTN, Vodacom Vodafone Claro, Movistar A1, Telenor, Vivacom
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 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber, Cabify Uber, Bolt Uber, FreeNow Uber, Tu Chofer TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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. 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. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries 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. 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 Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buรฑuelos, patacones, tรฉ de coca, changua Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameรฑos, tostones, ropa vieja 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 Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menรบ del dรญa. Community markets and sports bars. Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 104 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 7 options on HappyCow 20 options on HappyCow