Budapest vs Lisbon vs Mexico City vs Rio de Janeiro vs Sofia

Budapest 🇭🇺
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Mexico City 🇲🇽
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Sofia 🇧🇬
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Population 1,768,073 517,000 8,850,000 6,718,903 1,270,169
Official language(s) Hungarian Portuguese Spanish Portuguese Bulgarian
Level of English High Very high Moderate Low High
Main airport Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Galeão International Airport Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - June, September - November March - May, September, October March - May, October, November January - March, December April-June, September-October
Currency HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) EUR - Euro (€) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes Yes No No
Average monthly costs $1230 $1984 $1867 $1833 $1289
Rent $499 $965 $778 $1066 $567
Groceries $108 $136 $281 $95 $10
Dining out $202 $271 $182 $210 $227
Cafe $29 $37 $49 $25 $27
Coworking space $120 $164 $159 $130 $140
Mobile internet $9 $24 $25 $7 $10
Public transportation $36 $63 $11 $33 $30
Taxis $27 $27 $9 $14 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $13 $18 $24 $16 $40
Sport and cultural events $24 $29 $81 $55 $18
Museums and sights $7 $24 $20 $26 $12
Nightlife $43 $47 $64 $54 $82
Gym $37 $65 $69 $31 $23
Yoga $48 $65 $65 $40 $62
Massage $26 $50 $51 $32 $29
SIM card options Vodafone, Telenor Vodafone Telcel, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps Bolt, Fotaxi Uber, FreeNow Uber Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not 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. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. 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 Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Markets, food stalls, menú del día (cheap set lunch menus) 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. Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 47 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow