Bucharest vs Cape Town vs Larnaca vs Lisbon vs Rio de Janeiro vs Sofia

Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Larnaca ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 1,830,000 4,617,560 144,900 517,000 6,718,903 1,270,169
Official language(s) Romanian Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Greek Portuguese Portuguese Bulgarian
Level of English High Very high High Very high Low High
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Galeรฃo International Airport Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - October March - May, September - November March - May, October - December March - May, September, October January - March, December April-June, September-October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $1351 $1549 $1959 $1984 $1833 $1289
Rent $615 $618 $678 $965 $1066 $567
Groceries $114 $129 $157 $136 $95 $10
Dining out $165 $269 $261 $271 $210 $227
Cafe $38 $32 $56 $37 $25 $27
Coworking space $133 $151 $209 $164 $130 $140
Mobile internet $7 $27 $35 $24 $7 $10
Public transportation $21 $55 $63 $63 $33 $30
Taxis $9 $21 $42 $27 $14 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $49 $45 $18 $16 $40
Sport and cultural events $29 $19 $28 $29 $55 $18
Museums and sights $29 $15 $8 $24 $26 $12
Nightlife $45 $43 $110 $47 $54 $82
Gym $30 $36 $107 $65 $31 $23
Yoga $59 $56 $105 $65 $40 $62
Massage $31 $30 $54 $50 $32 $29
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange MTN, Vodacom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Vodafone Tim, Claro, Vivo 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, round up elsewhere 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Uber, Bolt nTaxi Uber, FreeNow Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not 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. 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 sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. 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, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city. Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available 401 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow