Berlin vs Lisbon vs New York City vs Rio de Janeiro vs Sofia

Berlin ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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New York City ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 3,400,000 517,000 8,323,340 6,718,903 1,270,169
Official language(s) German Portuguese English (de facto) Portuguese Bulgarian
Level of English Very high Very high Very high Low High
Main airport Berlin Tegel (TXL) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Galeรฃo International Airport Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit May - September March - May, September, October April - June, September - November January - March, December April-June, September-October
Currency EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) USD - US Dollar ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted in some places but cash often preferred Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa Yes Yes No No No
Average monthly costs $2200 $1984 $5431 $1833 $1289
Rent $939 $965 $2891 $1066 $567
Groceries $188 $136 $383 $95 $10
Dining out $271 $271 $656 $210 $227
Cafe $57 $37 $72 $25 $27
Coworking space $174 $164 $326 $130 $140
Mobile internet $23 $24 $45 $7 $10
Public transportation $88 $63 $220 $33 $30
Taxis $58 $27 $78 $14 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $18 $30 $16 $40
Sport and cultural events $64 $29 $100 $55 $18
Museums and sights $37 $24 $74 $26 $12
Nightlife $63 $47 $195 $54 $82
Gym $66 $65 $55 $31 $23
Yoga $99 $65 $197 $40 $62
Massage $56 $50 $109 $32 $29
SIM card options Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Vodafone AT&T, Verizon Tim, Claro, Vivo A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping Round up for restaurants, not common for bars and services 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars 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
Taxi apps Mytaxi, Uber Uber, FreeNow Uber, Lyft Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Heavy and hearty meals with plenty of meat, potatoes and bread Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries American. Emphasis on comfort and fast food, with some good seafood dishes. Influence from other regions of the US, North America and the world make NYC a cosmopolitan and international cuisine hub that is incredibly diverse. 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.
Local food specialities Currywurst, spรคtzle, kรถnigsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Pizza, clam chowder, bagels, corned beef, pastrami, cheesecake, hot dogs, and hundred of other international food options. Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Delis, local pizza shops, street food stalls and food trucks, food markets, local bakeries and smaller, authentic international cuisine restaurants 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.
Vegetarian / vegan options 844 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 309 options on HappyCow 54 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow