Bucharest vs Budapest vs Istanbul vs Lviv vs Rio de Janeiro

Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lviv 🇺🇦
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Population 1,830,000 1,768,073 15,520,000 731,387 6,718,903
Official language(s) Romanian Hungarian Turkish Ukrainian Portuguese
Level of English High High Low Low Low
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Istanbul Airport (IST) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) Galeão International Airport
Most common months to visit April - October March - June, September - November April - June, September and October May - September January - March, December
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (₴) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No
Average monthly costs $1351 $1230 $659 $922 $1833
Rent $615 $499 $354 $400 $1066
Groceries $114 $108 $44 $91 $95
Dining out $165 $202 $81 $151 $210
Cafe $38 $29 $18 $21 $25
Coworking space $133 $120 $49 $79 $130
Mobile internet $7 $9 $3 $4 $7
Public transportation $21 $36 $6 $5 $33
Taxis $9 $27 $6 $12 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $13 $2 $16 $16
Sport and cultural events $29 $24 $11 $13 $55
Museums and sights $29 $7 $15 $9 $26
Nightlife $45 $43 $22 $43 $54
Gym $30 $37 $9 $22 $31
Yoga $59 $48 $23 $30 $40
Massage $31 $26 $15 $27 $32
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Vodafone, Telenor Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, Kyivstar Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Bolt, Fotaxi BiTaksi Uber, Uklon Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine 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. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish 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). Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common.
Local food specialities 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 Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
Eat like a local Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries 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.
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 9 options on HappyCow 54 options on Happy Cow