Bucharest vs Lisbon vs Madrid vs Medellin vs Mexico City vs Sofia

Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 1,830,000 517,000 6,578,0179 2,427,000 8,850,000 1,270,169
Official language(s) Romanian Portuguese Spanish Spanish Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English High Very high Moderate Low Moderate High
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - October March - May, September, October March - May, September - November January - April, December March - May, October, November April-June, September-October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted in some places Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes Yes No Yes No
Average monthly costs $1351 $1984 $2498 $1293 $1867 $1289
Rent $615 $965 $1174 $732 $778 $567
Groceries $114 $136 $175 $87 $281 $10
Dining out $165 $271 $313 $131 $182 $227
Cafe $38 $37 $51 $18 $49 $27
Coworking space $133 $164 $196 $96 $159 $140
Mobile internet $7 $24 $10 $16 $25 $10
Public transportation $21 $63 $78 $21 $11 $30
Taxis $9 $27 $44 $14 $9 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $18 $49 $0 $24 $40
Sport and cultural events $29 $29 $54 $8 $81 $18
Museums and sights $29 $24 $20 $9 $20 $12
Nightlife $45 $47 $82 $73 $64 $82
Gym $30 $65 $44 $15 $69 $23
Yoga $59 $65 $142 $54 $65 $62
Massage $31 $50 $64 $20 $51 $29
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Vodafone Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Claro, Tigo Telcel, Movistar A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. Tip 10% in restaurants 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Uber, FreeNow Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now EasyTaxi Uber TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Drinkable Not 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. 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. 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.
Local food specialities Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros 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
Eat like a local Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias 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! Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow