Austin vs Budapest vs Larnaca vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Budapest ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡บ
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Larnaca ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 926,426 1,768,073 144,900 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Hungarian Greek Bulgarian
Level of English Very high High High High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November March - June, September - November March - May, October - December April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1230 $1959 $1289
Rent $1650 $499 $678 $567
Groceries $243 $108 $157 $10
Dining out $396 $202 $261 $227
Cafe $66 $29 $56 $27
Coworking space $331 $120 $209 $140
Mobile internet $40 $9 $35 $10
Public transportation $110 $36 $63 $30
Taxis $73 $27 $42 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $13 $45 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $24 $28 $18
Museums and sights $11 $7 $8 $12
Nightlife $124 $43 $110 $82
Gym $62 $37 $107 $23
Yoga $139 $48 $105 $62
Massage $89 $26 $54 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Telenor Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Bolt, Fotaxi nTaxi TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. 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. Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. 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 Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Goulash, Fisherman's soup, Fล‘zelรฉk, Somloi Galuska, Pรถrkรถlt and Paprikรกs, Kรผrtรถs Kalรกcs, Hungarian Lecsรณ, Lรกngos Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Local markets, cafรฉs, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 47 options on HappyCow 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available 20 options on HappyCow