Austin vs Bucharest vs Budapest vs Lisbon vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 1,768,073 517,000 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Hungarian Portuguese Portuguese
Level of English Very high High High Very high Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Galeão International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October March - June, September - November March - May, September, October January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) EUR - Euro (€) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $1230 $1984 $1833
Rent $1650 $615 $499 $965 $1066
Groceries $243 $114 $108 $136 $95
Dining out $396 $165 $202 $271 $210
Cafe $66 $38 $29 $37 $25
Coworking space $331 $133 $120 $164 $130
Mobile internet $40 $7 $9 $24 $7
Public transportation $110 $21 $36 $63 $33
Taxis $73 $9 $27 $27 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $13 $18 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $24 $29 $55
Museums and sights $11 $29 $7 $24 $26
Nightlife $124 $45 $43 $47 $54
Gym $62 $30 $37 $65 $31
Yoga $139 $59 $48 $65 $40
Massage $89 $31 $26 $50 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange Vodafone, Telenor Vodafone Tim, Claro, Vivo
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 - 15% at restaurants and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Bolt, Fotaxi Uber, FreeNow Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable 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. Magyar cuisine makes extensive use of creams, cheeses and sauces primarily in beef, chicken and pork dishes, mixed with seasonal vegetables, fruits and rich desserts. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries 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 Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Goulash, Fisherman's soup, Főzelék, Somloi Galuska, Pörkölt and Paprikás, Kürtös Kalács, Hungarian Lecsó, Lángos Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana 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 Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants 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 33 listings on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow