Bucharest vs Budapest vs Buenos Aires vs Lisbon vs Playa del Carmen

Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽
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Population 1,830,000 1,768,073 2,900,000 517,000 259,453
Official language(s) Romanian Hungarian Spanish Portuguese Spanish
Level of English High High High Very high Moderate
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit April - October March - June, September - November September - December March - May, September, October January - May, October - December
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) EUR - Euro (€) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $1351 $1230 $1321 $1984 $2143
Rent $615 $499 $844 $965 $923
Groceries $114 $108 $98 $136 $127
Dining out $165 $202 $121 $271 $207
Cafe $38 $29 $25 $37 $42
Coworking space $133 $120 $95 $164 $160
Mobile internet $7 $9 $11 $24 $21
Public transportation $21 $36 $9 $63 $17
Taxis $9 $27 $9 $27 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $13 $14 $18 $49
Sport and cultural events $29 $24 $24 $29 $97
Museums and sights $29 $7 $4 $24 $217
Nightlife $45 $43 $23 $47 $77
Gym $30 $37 $14 $65 $42
Yoga $59 $48 $19 $65 $54
Massage $31 $26 $10 $50 $101
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Vodafone, Telenor Movistar, Claro, Personal Vodafone Telcel, Movistar
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 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Bolt, Fotaxi Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, FreeNow N/A
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable 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. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices
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 Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
Eat like a local Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow