Austin vs Buenos Aires vs Larnaca vs Lisbon vs Madrid vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Larnaca ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 926,426 2,900,000 144,900 517,000 6,578,0179 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Greek Portuguese Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English Very high High High Very high Moderate High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November September - December March - May, October - December March - May, September, October March - May, September - November April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1321 $1959 $1984 $2498 $1289
Rent $1650 $844 $678 $965 $1174 $567
Groceries $243 $98 $157 $136 $175 $10
Dining out $396 $121 $261 $271 $313 $227
Cafe $66 $25 $56 $37 $51 $27
Coworking space $331 $95 $209 $164 $196 $140
Mobile internet $40 $11 $35 $24 $10 $10
Public transportation $110 $9 $63 $63 $78 $30
Taxis $73 $9 $42 $27 $44 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $14 $45 $18 $49 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $24 $28 $29 $54 $18
Museums and sights $11 $4 $8 $24 $20 $12
Nightlife $124 $23 $110 $47 $82 $82
Gym $62 $14 $107 $65 $44 $23
Yoga $139 $19 $105 $65 $142 $62
Massage $89 $10 $54 $50 $64 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Movistar, Claro, Personal Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Vodafone Orange, Movistar, Vodafone A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) nTaxi Uber, FreeNow Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Not 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. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. 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 Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros 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 Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros! Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available 401 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow