Austin vs Bucharest vs Buenos Aires vs Lisbon vs Medellin vs Panama City vs Sofia

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Panama City 🇵🇦
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 2,900,000 517,000 2,427,000 880,691 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Spanish Portuguese Spanish Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English Very high High High Very high Low Low High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) Tocumen International Airport (PTY) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October September - December March - May, September, October January - April, December December - April April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) 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 $1351 $1321 $1984 $1293 $2359 $1289
Rent $1650 $615 $844 $965 $732 $1036 $567
Groceries $243 $114 $98 $136 $87 $236 $10
Dining out $396 $165 $121 $271 $131 $371 $227
Cafe $66 $38 $25 $37 $18 $43 $27
Coworking space $331 $133 $95 $164 $96 $157 $140
Mobile internet $40 $7 $11 $24 $16 $21 $10
Public transportation $110 $21 $9 $63 $21 $12 $30
Taxis $73 $9 $9 $27 $14 $48 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $14 $18 $0 $0 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $24 $29 $8 $35 $18
Museums and sights $11 $29 $4 $24 $9 $9 $12
Nightlife $124 $45 $23 $47 $73 $117 $82
Gym $62 $30 $14 $65 $15 $37 $23
Yoga $139 $59 $19 $65 $54 $163 $62
Massage $89 $31 $10 $50 $20 $75 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange Movistar, Claro, Personal Vodafone Claro, Tigo Claro, Movistar A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi Uber, Tu Chofer TaxiMe, TaxiStars
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. Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options 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. 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 Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores 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 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 Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas 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 Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 7 options on HappyCow 20 options on HappyCow