Bucharest vs Budapest vs Lisbon vs Medellin vs Playa del Carmen

Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽
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Population 1,830,000 1,768,073 517,000 2,427,000 259,453
Official language(s) Romanian Hungarian Portuguese Spanish Spanish
Level of English High High Very high Low Moderate
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit April - October March - June, September - November March - May, September, October January - April, December January - May, October - December
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $1351 $1230 $1984 $1293 $2143
Rent $615 $499 $965 $732 $923
Groceries $114 $108 $136 $87 $127
Dining out $165 $202 $271 $131 $207
Cafe $38 $29 $37 $18 $42
Coworking space $133 $120 $164 $96 $160
Mobile internet $7 $9 $24 $16 $21
Public transportation $21 $36 $63 $21 $17
Taxis $9 $27 $27 $14 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $13 $18 $0 $49
Sport and cultural events $29 $24 $29 $8 $97
Museums and sights $29 $7 $24 $9 $217
Nightlife $45 $43 $47 $73 $77
Gym $30 $37 $65 $15 $42
Yoga $59 $48 $65 $54 $54
Massage $31 $26 $50 $20 $101
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Vodafone, Telenor Vodafone Claro, Tigo 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 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Bolt, Fotaxi Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi N/A
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable 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. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats 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 Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa 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 Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow