Berlin ๐ฉ๐ช
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Bucharest ๐ท๐ด
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Cape Town ๐ฟ๐ฆ
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Larnaca ๐จ๐พ
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Playa del Carmen ๐ฒ๐ฝ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐ง๐ท
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Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
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Tbilisi ๐ฌ๐ช
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Population | 3,400,000 | 1,830,000 | 4,617,560 | 144,900 | 259,453 | 6,718,903 | 1,270,169 | 1,108,700 |
Official language(s) | German | Romanian | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Greek | Spanish | Portuguese | Bulgarian | Georgian |
Level of English | Very high | High | Very high | High | Moderate | Low | High | Low |
Main airport | Berlin Tegel (TXL) | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Larnaca International Airport (LCA) | Cancun International Airport (CUN) | Galeรฃo International Airport | Sofia International Airport (SOF) | Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) |
Most common months to visit | May - September | April - October | March - May, September - November | March - May, October - December | January - May, October - December | January - March, December | April-June, September-October | March - June |
Currency | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) | BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) | GEL - Georgian Lari (โพ) |
Credit cards | Accepted in some places but cash often preferred | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $2200 | $1351 | $1549 | $1959 | $2143 | $1833 | $1289 | $1462 |
Rent | $939 | $615 | $618 | $678 | $923 | $1066 | $567 | $752 |
Groceries | $188 | $114 | $129 | $157 | $127 | $95 | $10 | $112 |
Dining out | $271 | $165 | $269 | $261 | $207 | $210 | $227 | $169 |
Cafe | $57 | $38 | $32 | $56 | $42 | $25 | $27 | $45 |
Coworking space | $174 | $133 | $151 | $209 | $160 | $130 | $140 | $125 |
Mobile internet | $23 | $7 | $27 | $35 | $21 | $7 | $10 | $4 |
Public transportation | $88 | $21 | $55 | $63 | $17 | $33 | $30 | $8 |
Taxis | $58 | $9 | $21 | $42 | $9 | $14 | $12 | $14 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $17 | $25 | $49 | $45 | $49 | $16 | $40 | $27 |
Sport and cultural events | $64 | $29 | $19 | $28 | $97 | $55 | $18 | $21 |
Museums and sights | $37 | $29 | $15 | $8 | $217 | $26 | $12 | $9 |
Nightlife | $63 | $45 | $43 | $110 | $77 | $54 | $82 | $53 |
Gym | $66 | $30 | $36 | $107 | $42 | $31 | $23 | $33 |
Yoga | $99 | $59 | $56 | $105 | $54 | $40 | $62 | $37 |
Massage | $56 | $31 | $30 | $54 | $101 | $32 | $29 | $53 |
SIM card options | Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone | Vodafone, Orange | MTN, Vodacom | Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN | Telcel, Movistar | Tim, Claro, Vivo | A1, Telenor, Vivacom | Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline |
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, round up elsewhere | 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars | 10-15% for restaurants | 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs | 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafรฉs. |
Taxi apps | Mytaxi, Uber | Star Taxi, Uber | Uber, Bolt | nTaxi | N/A | Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber | TaxiMe, TaxiStars | Yandex, Bolt |
Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not 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. | South African cuisine has been shaped by a long history of Dutch, Malay, British and Indian settlements, making the food diverse and strong in flavor. There is a strong emphasis on game in all of its different forms, as well as spicy sauces and sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. | Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. | Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices | Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. | 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. | Cuisine of the Caucasus meets regional diversity in Georgia. Emphasis on spices and meats (poultry, beef, pork and mutton) as well as soups and creams. |
Local food specialities | Currywurst, spรคtzle, kรถnigsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels | Sarmale, mฤmฤligฤ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤ de burtฤ, covrig, papanasi | Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow | Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka | Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole | Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator | Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli |
Eat like a local | Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops | Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias | Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets | Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. | Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's | The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city. | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. | Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 844 listings on Happy Cow | 33 listings on Happy Cow | 24 options on HappyCow | 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available | 72 listings on Happy Cow | 54 options on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow | 10 options on Happy Cow |