Bucharest vs Lisbon vs Madrid vs Mexico City vs Sofia vs Valencia

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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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Valencia ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Population 1,830,000 517,000 6,578,0179 8,850,000 1,270,169 834,000
Official language(s) Romanian Portuguese Spanish Spanish Bulgarian Spanish, Valencian
Level of English High Very high Moderate Moderate High Moderate
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Sofia International Airport (SOF) Valencia Manises Airport (VLC)
Most common months to visit April - October March - May, September, October March - May, September - November March - May, October, November April-June, September-October March - June, September, October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $1351 $1984 $2498 $1867 $1289 $1976
Rent $615 $965 $1174 $778 $567 $869
Groceries $114 $136 $175 $281 $10 $146
Dining out $165 $271 $313 $182 $227 $292
Cafe $38 $37 $51 $49 $27 $42
Coworking space $133 $164 $196 $159 $140 $152
Mobile internet $7 $24 $10 $25 $10 $16
Public transportation $21 $63 $78 $11 $30 $38
Taxis $9 $27 $44 $9 $12 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $18 $49 $24 $40 $30
Sport and cultural events $29 $29 $54 $81 $18 $73
Museums and sights $29 $24 $20 $20 $12 $44
Nightlife $45 $47 $82 $64 $82 $66
Gym $30 $65 $44 $69 $23 $34
Yoga $59 $65 $142 $65 $62 $87
Massage $31 $50 $64 $51 $29 $45
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Vodafone Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Telcel, Movistar A1, Telenor, Vivacom Vodafone, Orange
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% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Uber, FreeNow Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now Uber TaxiMe, TaxiStars Cabify, FreeNow
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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 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. Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats
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 Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator Paella, fideuร , esgarrat, orxata, bunyols
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) Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches)
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow 98 listings on Happy Cow