Austin ๐บ๐ธ
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Larnaca ๐จ๐พ
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Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
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Valencia ๐ช๐ธ
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Population | 926,426 | 144,900 | 1,270,169 | 834,000 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Greek | Bulgarian | Spanish, Valencian |
Level of English | Very high | High | High | Moderate |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Larnaca International Airport (LCA) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) | Valencia Manises Airport (VLC) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | March - May, October - December | April-June, September-October | March - June, September, October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1959 | $1289 | $1976 |
Rent | $1650 | $678 | $567 | $869 |
Groceries | $243 | $157 | $10 | $146 |
Dining out | $396 | $261 | $227 | $292 |
Cafe | $66 | $56 | $27 | $42 |
Coworking space | $331 | $209 | $140 | $152 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $35 | $10 | $16 |
Public transportation | $110 | $63 | $30 | $38 |
Taxis | $73 | $42 | $12 | $42 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $45 | $40 | $30 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $28 | $18 | $73 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $8 | $12 | $44 |
Nightlife | $124 | $110 | $82 | $66 |
Gym | $62 | $107 | $23 | $34 |
Yoga | $139 | $105 | $62 | $87 |
Massage | $89 | $54 | $29 | $45 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN | A1, Telenor, Vivacom | Vodafone, Orange |
Tipping | 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars | 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs | Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | nTaxi | TaxiMe, TaxiStars | Cabify, FreeNow |
Tap water | Drinkable | Not 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. | Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. | 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. | Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats |
Local food specialities | Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos | Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator | Paella, fideuร , esgarrat, orxata, bunyols |
Eat like a local | Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries | Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. | Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches) |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available | 20 options on HappyCow | 98 listings on Happy Cow |