Austin vs Bucharest vs Lisbon vs Medellin vs Panama City

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Panama City ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 517,000 2,427,000 880,691
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Portuguese Spanish Spanish
Level of English Very high High Very high Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) Tocumen International Airport (PTY)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October March - May, September, October January - April, December December - April
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops.
Remote worker visa No No Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $1984 $1293 $2359
Rent $1650 $615 $965 $732 $1036
Groceries $243 $114 $136 $87 $236
Dining out $396 $165 $271 $131 $371
Cafe $66 $38 $37 $18 $43
Coworking space $331 $133 $164 $96 $157
Mobile internet $40 $7 $24 $16 $21
Public transportation $110 $21 $63 $21 $12
Taxis $73 $9 $27 $14 $48
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $18 $0 $0
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $29 $8 $35
Museums and sights $11 $29 $24 $9 $9
Nightlife $124 $45 $47 $73 $117
Gym $62 $30 $65 $15 $37
Yoga $139 $59 $65 $54 $163
Massage $89 $31 $50 $20 $75
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange Vodafone Claro, Tigo Claro, Movistar
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 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi Uber, Tu Chofer
Tap water 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. 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.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameรฑos, tostones, ropa vieja
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries 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
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 7 options on HappyCow