Austin ๐บ๐ธ
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Bucharest ๐ท๐ด
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Lisbon ๐ต๐น
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Porto ๐ต๐น
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Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
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Valencia ๐ช๐ธ
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Population | 926,426 | 1,830,000 | 517,000 | 237,559 | 1,270,169 | 834,000 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Romanian | Portuguese | Portuguese | Bulgarian | Spanish, Valencian |
Level of English | Very high | High | Very high | Very High | High | Moderate |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) | Francisco Sรก Carneiro International Airport (OPO) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) | Valencia Manises Airport (VLC) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | April - October | March - May, September, October | May - September | April-June, September-October | March - June, September, October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1351 | $1984 | $1759 | $1289 | $1976 |
Rent | $1650 | $615 | $965 | $717 | $567 | $869 |
Groceries | $243 | $114 | $136 | $148 | $10 | $146 |
Dining out | $396 | $165 | $271 | $280 | $227 | $292 |
Cafe | $66 | $38 | $37 | $45 | $27 | $42 |
Coworking space | $331 | $133 | $164 | $96 | $140 | $152 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $7 | $24 | $21 | $10 | $16 |
Public transportation | $110 | $21 | $63 | $95 | $30 | $38 |
Taxis | $73 | $9 | $27 | $25 | $12 | $42 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $25 | $18 | $10 | $40 | $30 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $29 | $29 | $45 | $18 | $73 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $29 | $24 | $24 | $12 | $44 |
Nightlife | $124 | $45 | $47 | $66 | $82 | $66 |
Gym | $62 | $30 | $65 | $56 | $23 | $34 |
Yoga | $139 | $59 | $65 | $82 | $62 | $87 |
Massage | $89 | $31 | $50 | $48 | $29 | $45 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Vodafone, Orange | Vodafone | Vodafone, MEO, NOS | A1, Telenor, Vivacom | Vodafone, Orange |
Tipping | 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars | 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 | 5-10% at restaurants if happy with service, not expected at cafes or bars | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs | Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Star Taxi, Uber | Uber, FreeNow | Uber, MyTaxi, Cabify | TaxiMe, TaxiStars | Cabify, FreeNow |
Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable |
Overall cuisine | Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. | 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 | A variety of meats often mixed with fresh legumes and vegetables. Emphasis on rich seafood dishes and creamy desserts. | 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 | Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos | Sarmale, mฤmฤligฤ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤ de burtฤ, covrig, papanasi | Bacalhau ร bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana | Bacalhau, Alheira de Mirandela, Francesinha, queido da serra da estrela, tripas a moda do Oporto, pasteis de chaves, tarte de amendoa | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator | Paella, fideuร , esgarrat, orxata, bunyols |
Eat like a local | Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries | Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias | Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants | Local taverns, terraces, markets, tascas, churrascarias and local sports bars | 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 | 30 options on HappyCow | 33 listings on Happy Cow | 401 listings on Happy Cow | 46 options on Happy Cow | 20 options on HappyCow | 98 listings on Happy Cow |