Austin vs Bucharest vs Budapest vs Lviv vs Prague

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Lviv 🇺🇦
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Prague 🇨🇿
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 1,768,073 731,387 1,305,737
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Hungarian Ukrainian Czech
Level of English Very high High High Low High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October March - June, September - November May - September June - October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (₴) CZK - Czech Koruna (Kč)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted almost everywhere Accepted most places (some places are cash only)
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $1230 $922 $1806
Rent $1650 $615 $499 $400 $780
Groceries $243 $114 $108 $91 $158
Dining out $396 $165 $202 $151 $240
Cafe $66 $38 $29 $21 $53
Coworking space $331 $133 $120 $79 $175
Mobile internet $40 $7 $9 $4 $24
Public transportation $110 $21 $36 $5 $61
Taxis $73 $9 $27 $12 $33
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $13 $16 $19
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $24 $13 $19
Museums and sights $11 $29 $7 $9 $35
Nightlife $124 $45 $43 $43 $50
Gym $62 $30 $37 $22 $56
Yoga $139 $59 $48 $30 $66
Massage $89 $31 $26 $27 $37
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange Vodafone, Telenor Vodafone, Kyivstar Vodafone, T-Mobile
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 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere 10% at restaurants and bars, round up elsewhere
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Bolt, Fotaxi Uber, Uklon Uber, Liftago
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable 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. Slavic. Emphasis on frilled meats combined with potatoes, carrots, pickles and cabbage. Creamy deserts often elaborated with cottage cheese. Lviv enjoys culinary influences from Kiev (traditional with an emphasis on chicken) and Odessa (various seafood dishes). Thick soups are often combined with stewed vegetables and baked meats to produce rich dishes. Gravies and creams are popular in Czech cuisine, as is beer!
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 Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky Vepřo knedlo zelo, Česnečka, Guláš, Svíčková na smetaně, Ovocné Knedlíky.
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 Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries Pubs and taverns, street food stalls, local cafés
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 9 options on HappyCow 112 options on HappyCow