Austin vs Bucharest vs Playa del Carmen vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 259,453 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English Very high High Moderate High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October January - May, October - December April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $2143 $1289
Rent $1650 $615 $923 $567
Groceries $243 $114 $127 $10
Dining out $396 $165 $207 $227
Cafe $66 $38 $42 $27
Coworking space $331 $133 $160 $140
Mobile internet $40 $7 $21 $10
Public transportation $110 $21 $17 $30
Taxis $73 $9 $9 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $49 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $97 $18
Museums and sights $11 $29 $217 $12
Nightlife $124 $45 $77 $82
Gym $62 $30 $42 $23
Yoga $139 $59 $54 $62
Massage $89 $31 $101 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange Telcel, Movistar 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 10-15% for restaurants 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber N/A TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water 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. Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices 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 Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole 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 Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's 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 72 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow