Berlin vs Bucharest vs Budapest vs Lviv vs Sofia

Berlin 🇩🇪
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Lviv 🇺🇦
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 3,400,000 1,830,000 1,768,073 731,387 1,270,169
Official language(s) German Romanian Hungarian Ukrainian Bulgarian
Level of English Very high High High Low High
Main airport Berlin Tegel (TXL) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit May - September April - October March - June, September - November May - September April-June, September-October
Currency EUR - Euro (€) RON - Romanian Leu (L) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (₴) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards Accepted in some places but cash often preferred Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa Yes No No No No
Average monthly costs $2200 $1351 $1230 $922 $1289
Rent $939 $615 $499 $400 $567
Groceries $188 $114 $108 $91 $10
Dining out $271 $165 $202 $151 $227
Cafe $57 $38 $29 $21 $27
Coworking space $174 $133 $120 $79 $140
Mobile internet $23 $7 $9 $4 $10
Public transportation $88 $21 $36 $5 $30
Taxis $58 $9 $27 $12 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $25 $13 $16 $40
Sport and cultural events $64 $29 $24 $13 $18
Museums and sights $37 $29 $7 $9 $12
Nightlife $63 $45 $43 $43 $82
Gym $66 $30 $37 $22 $23
Yoga $99 $59 $48 $30 $62
Massage $56 $31 $26 $27 $29
SIM card options Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Vodafone, Orange Vodafone, Telenor Vodafone, Kyivstar A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping Round up for restaurants, not common for bars and services 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps Mytaxi, Uber Star Taxi, Uber Bolt, Fotaxi Uber, Uklon TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Heavy and hearty meals with plenty of meat, potatoes and bread Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. Magyar cuisine makes extensive use of creams, cheeses and sauces primarily in beef, chicken and pork dishes, mixed with seasonal vegetables, fruits and rich desserts. Slavic. Emphasis on frilled meats combined with potatoes, carrots, pickles and cabbage. Creamy deserts often elaborated with cottage cheese. Lviv enjoys culinary influences from Kiev (traditional with an emphasis on chicken) and Odessa (various seafood dishes). 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 Currywurst, spätzle, königsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Goulash, Fisherman's soup, Főzelék, Somloi Galuska, Pörkölt and Paprikás, Kürtös Kalács, Hungarian Lecsó, Lángos Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 844 listings on Happy Cow 33 listings on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 9 options on HappyCow 20 options on HappyCow