Bucharest vs Budapest vs Buenos Aires vs Lisbon vs Madrid vs Sofia

Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Madrid 🇪🇸
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 1,830,000 1,768,073 2,900,000 517,000 6,578,0179 1,270,169
Official language(s) Romanian Hungarian Spanish Portuguese Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English High High High Very high Moderate High
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - October March - June, September - November September - December March - May, September, October March - May, September - November April-June, September-October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) EUR - Euro (€) EUR - Euro (€) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1351 $1230 $1321 $1984 $2498 $1289
Rent $615 $499 $844 $965 $1174 $567
Groceries $114 $108 $98 $136 $175 $10
Dining out $165 $202 $121 $271 $313 $227
Cafe $38 $29 $25 $37 $51 $27
Coworking space $133 $120 $95 $164 $196 $140
Mobile internet $7 $9 $11 $24 $10 $10
Public transportation $21 $36 $9 $63 $78 $30
Taxis $9 $27 $9 $27 $44 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $13 $14 $18 $49 $40
Sport and cultural events $29 $24 $24 $29 $54 $18
Museums and sights $29 $7 $4 $24 $20 $12
Nightlife $45 $43 $23 $47 $82 $82
Gym $30 $37 $14 $65 $44 $23
Yoga $59 $48 $19 $65 $142 $62
Massage $31 $26 $10 $50 $64 $29
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Vodafone, Telenor Movistar, Claro, Personal Vodafone Orange, Movistar, Vodafone A1, Telenor, Vivacom
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 Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Bolt, Fotaxi Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, FreeNow Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable 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 Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. 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 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 Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileña, churros Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
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 Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros! Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow