Budapest vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Prague vs Sofia

Budapest 🇭🇺
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Prague 🇨🇿
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 1,768,073 2,900,000 15,520,000 517,000 1,305,737 1,270,169
Official language(s) Hungarian Spanish Turkish Portuguese Czech Bulgarian
Level of English High High Low Very high High High
Main airport Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - June, September - November September - December April - June, September and October March - May, September, October June - October April-June, September-October
Currency HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) CZK - Czech Koruna (Kč) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted most places (some places are cash only) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1230 $1321 $659 $1984 $1806 $1289
Rent $499 $844 $354 $965 $780 $567
Groceries $108 $98 $44 $136 $158 $10
Dining out $202 $121 $81 $271 $240 $227
Cafe $29 $25 $18 $37 $53 $27
Coworking space $120 $95 $49 $164 $175 $140
Mobile internet $9 $11 $3 $24 $24 $10
Public transportation $36 $9 $6 $63 $61 $30
Taxis $27 $9 $6 $27 $33 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $13 $14 $2 $18 $19 $40
Sport and cultural events $24 $24 $11 $29 $19 $18
Museums and sights $7 $4 $15 $24 $35 $12
Nightlife $43 $23 $22 $47 $50 $82
Gym $37 $14 $9 $65 $56 $23
Yoga $48 $19 $23 $65 $66 $62
Massage $26 $10 $15 $50 $37 $29
SIM card options Vodafone, Telenor Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Vodafone, T-Mobile A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% at restaurants and bars, round up elsewhere 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps Bolt, Fotaxi Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber, Liftago TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Magyar cuisine makes extensive use of creams, cheeses and sauces primarily in beef, chicken and pork dishes, mixed with seasonal vegetables, fruits and rich desserts. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Thick soups are often combined with stewed vegetables and baked meats to produce rich dishes. Gravies and creams are popular in Czech cuisine, as is beer! 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 Goulash, Fisherman's soup, Főzelék, Somloi Galuska, Pörkölt and Paprikás, Kürtös Kalács, Hungarian Lecsó, Lángos Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Vepřo knedlo zelo, Česnečka, Guláš, Svíčková na smetaně, Ovocné Knedlíky. Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Pubs and taverns, street food stalls, local cafés Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 47 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 112 options on HappyCow 20 options on HappyCow