Barcelona 🇪🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Mexico City 🇲🇽
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Ubud 🇮🇩
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Population | 5,585,556 | 1,830,000 | 4,617,560 | 517,000 | 2,427,000 | 8,850,000 | 1,270,169 | 112,490 |
Official language(s) | Catalan, Spanish | Romanian | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Portuguese | Spanish | Spanish | Bulgarian | Indonesian and Balinese |
Level of English | High | High | Very high | Very high | Low | Moderate | High | Low |
Main airport | Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) | José MarÃa Córdova International Airport (MDE) | Mexico City International Airport (MEX) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) | Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPA) |
Most common months to visit | April - June, September - November | April - October | March - May, September - November | March - May, September, October | January - April, December | March - May, October, November | April-June, September-October | May - October |
Currency | EUR - Euro (€) | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | EUR - Euro (€) | COP - Colombian Peso ($) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв) | IDR - Indonesian Rupiah (Rp) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost evewhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) | Accepted in some places | Widely accepted (less with AMEX) | Accepted everywhere | Accepted in some places |
Remote worker visa | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $2384 | $1351 | $1549 | $1984 | $1293 | $1867 | $1289 | $1363 |
Rent | $932 | $615 | $618 | $965 | $732 | $778 | $567 | $658 |
Groceries | $121 | $114 | $129 | $136 | $87 | $281 | $10 | $150 |
Dining out | $403 | $165 | $269 | $271 | $131 | $182 | $227 | $10 |
Cafe | $45 | $38 | $32 | $37 | $18 | $49 | $27 | $28 |
Coworking space | $213 | $133 | $151 | $164 | $96 | $159 | $140 | $106 |
Mobile internet | $10 | $7 | $27 | $24 | $16 | $25 | $10 | $3 |
Public transportation | $127 | $21 | $55 | $63 | $21 | $11 | $30 | $53 |
Taxis | $48 | $9 | $21 | $27 | $14 | $9 | $12 | $13 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $24 | $25 | $49 | $18 | $0 | $24 | $40 | $33 |
Sport and cultural events | $81 | $29 | $19 | $29 | $8 | $81 | $18 | $14 |
Museums and sights | $33 | $29 | $15 | $24 | $9 | $20 | $12 | $9 |
Nightlife | $112 | $45 | $43 | $47 | $73 | $64 | $82 | $118 |
Gym | $81 | $30 | $36 | $65 | $15 | $69 | $23 | $72 |
Yoga | $93 | $59 | $56 | $65 | $54 | $65 | $62 | $87 |
Massage | $59 | $31 | $30 | $50 | $20 | $51 | $29 | $10 |
SIM card options | Vodafone, Movistar | Vodafone, Orange | MTN, Vodacom | Vodafone | Claro, Tigo | Telcel, Movistar | A1, Telenor, Vivacom | Telkomsel, XL Axiata |
Tipping | 5-10% in restaurants if service is exceptional, not expected elsewhere | 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis | 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere | 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars | Tip 10% in restaurants | 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés | Tip 5 - 10% in restaurants if service charge is not included in the bill |
Taxi apps | Cabify, FreeNow | Star Taxi, Uber | Uber, Bolt | Uber, FreeNow | EasyTaxi | Uber | TaxiMe, TaxiStars | Grab, GoJek |
Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable |
Overall cuisine | Catalan cuisine makes extensive use of Mediterranean vegetables, legumes mixed with pork in its many varieties, chicken and fish. Regularly mixes sweet and savory flavors in specific dishes. This cuisine is known for being bold in flavor and striking in color, with a variety of specific regional dishes found the culinary hub that is Barcelona. | Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. | South African cuisine has been shaped by a long history of Dutch, Malay, British and Indian settlements, making the food diverse and strong in flavor. There is a strong emphasis on game in all of its different forms, as well as spicy sauces and sautéed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. | Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries | A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats | Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese | 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. | Balinese foods revolve on the complex flavors from certain ingredients like fresh vegetables, meat, coconut milk, and time-tested spices mixture. |
Local food specialities | Paella, bombas, esqueixada, pa amb tomáquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo | Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi | Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow | Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana | Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa | Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator | Satay, nasi goreng, gado-gado, martabak, bubur sumsum |
Eat like a local | Taverns, tapas bars, local markets, bodegas and street food spots | Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias | Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets | Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants | Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food | Markets, food stalls, menú del dÃa (cheap set lunch menus) | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. | Warung for authentic babi guling and bebek betutu, cafes for kopi luwak, street stalls for pisang goreng, nasi campur, and sate lilit |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 98 options on HappyCow | 33 listings on Happy Cow | 24 options on HappyCow | 401 listings on Happy Cow | 153 listings on Happy Cow | 279 listings on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow | 255 listings on Happy Cow |