Budapest vs Buenos Aires vs Lisbon vs Madrid vs Rio de Janeiro

Budapest 🇭🇺
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Madrid 🇪🇸
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Population 1,768,073 2,900,000 517,000 6,578,0179 6,718,903
Official language(s) Hungarian Spanish Portuguese Spanish Portuguese
Level of English High High Very high Moderate Low
Main airport Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Galeão International Airport
Most common months to visit March - June, September - November September - December March - May, September, October March - May, September - November January - March, December
Currency HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) EUR - Euro (€) EUR - Euro (€) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1230 $1321 $1984 $2498 $1833
Rent $499 $844 $965 $1174 $1066
Groceries $108 $98 $136 $175 $95
Dining out $202 $121 $271 $313 $210
Cafe $29 $25 $37 $51 $25
Coworking space $120 $95 $164 $196 $130
Mobile internet $9 $11 $24 $10 $7
Public transportation $36 $9 $63 $78 $33
Taxis $27 $9 $27 $44 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $13 $14 $18 $49 $16
Sport and cultural events $24 $24 $29 $54 $55
Museums and sights $7 $4 $24 $20 $26
Nightlife $43 $23 $47 $82 $54
Gym $37 $14 $65 $44 $31
Yoga $48 $19 $65 $142 $40
Massage $26 $10 $50 $64 $32
SIM card options Vodafone, Telenor Movistar, Claro, Personal Vodafone Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Bolt, Fotaxi Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, FreeNow Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water 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 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. Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common.
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 Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileña, churros Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
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 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! The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city.
Vegetarian / vegan options 47 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow