Bucharest vs Lisbon vs Madrid vs Mexico City vs Playa del Carmen 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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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 1,830,000 517,000 6,578,0179 8,850,000 259,453 1,270,169
Official language(s) Romanian Portuguese Spanish Spanish Spanish Bulgarian
Level of English High Very high Moderate Moderate Moderate High
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - October March - May, September, October March - May, September - November March - May, October, November January - May, October - December April-June, September-October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1351 $1984 $2498 $1867 $2143 $1289
Rent $615 $965 $1174 $778 $923 $567
Groceries $114 $136 $175 $281 $127 $10
Dining out $165 $271 $313 $182 $207 $227
Cafe $38 $37 $51 $49 $42 $27
Coworking space $133 $164 $196 $159 $160 $140
Mobile internet $7 $24 $10 $25 $21 $10
Public transportation $21 $63 $78 $11 $17 $30
Taxis $9 $27 $44 $9 $9 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $18 $49 $24 $49 $40
Sport and cultural events $29 $29 $54 $81 $97 $18
Museums and sights $29 $24 $20 $20 $217 $12
Nightlife $45 $47 $82 $64 $77 $82
Gym $30 $65 $44 $69 $42 $23
Yoga $59 $65 $142 $65 $54 $62
Massage $31 $50 $64 $51 $101 $29
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Vodafone Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Telcel, Movistar 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. 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10-15% for restaurants 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Uber, FreeNow Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now Uber N/A 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. Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices 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 Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole 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! Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's 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 279 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow