Austin vs Bucharest vs Panama City vs Rio de Janeiro vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Panama City ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 880,691 6,718,903 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Spanish Portuguese Bulgarian
Level of English Very high High Low Low High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Tocumen International Airport (PTY) Galeรฃo International Airport Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October December - April January - March, December April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $2359 $1833 $1289
Rent $1650 $615 $1036 $1066 $567
Groceries $243 $114 $236 $95 $10
Dining out $396 $165 $371 $210 $227
Cafe $66 $38 $43 $25 $27
Coworking space $331 $133 $157 $130 $140
Mobile internet $40 $7 $21 $7 $10
Public transportation $110 $21 $12 $33 $30
Taxis $73 $9 $48 $14 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $0 $16 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $35 $55 $18
Museums and sights $11 $29 $9 $26 $12
Nightlife $124 $45 $117 $54 $82
Gym $62 $30 $37 $31 $23
Yoga $139 $59 $163 $40 $62
Massage $89 $31 $75 $32 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange Claro, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo 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% in restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Uber, Tu Chofer Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Not 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. 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. 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, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameรฑos, tostones, ropa vieja Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. 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 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. 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 7 options on HappyCow 54 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow