Austin vs Lisbon vs Playa del Carmen vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 926,426 517,000 259,453 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Portuguese Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English Very high Very high Moderate High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November March - May, September, October January - May, October - December April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1984 $2143 $1289
Rent $1650 $965 $923 $567
Groceries $243 $136 $127 $10
Dining out $396 $271 $207 $227
Cafe $66 $37 $42 $27
Coworking space $331 $164 $160 $140
Mobile internet $40 $24 $21 $10
Public transportation $110 $63 $17 $30
Taxis $73 $27 $9 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $18 $49 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $97 $18
Museums and sights $11 $24 $217 $12
Nightlife $124 $47 $77 $82
Gym $62 $65 $42 $23
Yoga $139 $65 $54 $62
Massage $89 $50 $101 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone Telcel, 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 10-15% for restaurants 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber, FreeNow N/A TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable 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 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 Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana 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 Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants 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 401 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow