Austin vs Lisbon vs Medellin vs Panama City vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Panama City ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 926,426 517,000 2,427,000 880,691 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Portuguese Spanish Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English Very high Very high Low Low High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) Tocumen International Airport (PTY) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November March - May, September, October January - April, December December - April April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1984 $1293 $2359 $1289
Rent $1650 $965 $732 $1036 $567
Groceries $243 $136 $87 $236 $10
Dining out $396 $271 $131 $371 $227
Cafe $66 $37 $18 $43 $27
Coworking space $331 $164 $96 $157 $140
Mobile internet $40 $24 $16 $21 $10
Public transportation $110 $63 $21 $12 $30
Taxis $73 $27 $14 $48 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $18 $0 $0 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $8 $35 $18
Museums and sights $11 $24 $9 $9 $12
Nightlife $124 $47 $73 $117 $82
Gym $62 $65 $15 $37 $23
Yoga $139 $65 $54 $163 $62
Massage $89 $50 $20 $75 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone Claro, Tigo Claro, Movistar A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi Uber, Tu Chofer TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable 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. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats 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. 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 Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameรฑos, tostones, ropa vieja 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 Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 7 options on HappyCow 20 options on HappyCow