Austin vs Barbados vs Bucharest vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Barbados ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ง
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 926,426 110,000 1,830,000 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) English, Bajan Creole Romanian Bulgarian
Level of English Very high Very high High High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November November - May April - October April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $2702 $1351 $1289
Rent $1650 $1054 $615 $567
Groceries $243 $234 $114 $10
Dining out $396 $345 $165 $227
Cafe $66 $75 $38 $27
Coworking space $331 $321 $133 $140
Mobile internet $40 $49 $7 $10
Public transportation $110 $35 $21 $30
Taxis $73 $106 $9 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $0 $25 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $37 $29 $18
Museums and sights $11 $36 $29 $12
Nightlife $124 $96 $45 $82
Gym $62 $86 $30 $23
Yoga $139 $130 $59 $62
Massage $89 $99 $31 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Digicel Vodafone, Orange A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10 - 15% usually included in restaurants, add 10 - 15% at bars 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft None available Star Taxi, Uber 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. Bajan cuisine features an eclectic mix of European, Asian, and Caribbean styles resulting in bold, tasty and crunchy meat or fish dishes with lots of spices, lime juice, thyme and salads laden with local vegetables and hot side dishes. Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian 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 Cou-cou and flying fish, fish cakes, cutters, pudding and souse, macaroni pie, conkies, Bajan black cake, sea eggs Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi 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 Food trucks, pubs, seaside street food, roadside carts, local seafood restaurants, smaller traditional restaurants and rum shops Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 14 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow