Austin vs Bucharest vs Budapest vs Lisbon

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 1,768,073 517,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Hungarian Portuguese
Level of English Very high High High Very high
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October March - June, September - November March - May, September, October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) EUR - Euro (€)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX)
Remote worker visa No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $1230 $1984
Rent $1650 $615 $499 $965
Groceries $243 $114 $108 $136
Dining out $396 $165 $202 $271
Cafe $66 $38 $29 $37
Coworking space $331 $133 $120 $164
Mobile internet $40 $7 $9 $24
Public transportation $110 $21 $36 $63
Taxis $73 $9 $27 $27
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $13 $18
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $24 $29
Museums and sights $11 $29 $7 $24
Nightlife $124 $45 $43 $47
Gym $62 $30 $37 $65
Yoga $139 $59 $48 $65
Massage $89 $31 $26 $50
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange Vodafone, Telenor Vodafone
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Bolt, Fotaxi Uber, FreeNow
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. 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. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos 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 Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow