Austin vs Buenos Aires vs Lisbon vs Madrid vs Mexico City vs Porto vs Sofia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Porto ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Population 926,426 2,900,000 517,000 6,578,0179 8,850,000 237,559 1,270,169
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Portuguese Spanish Spanish Portuguese Bulgarian
Level of English Very high High Very high Moderate Moderate Very High High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Francisco Sรก Carneiro International Airport (OPO) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November September - December March - May, September, October March - May, September - November March - May, October, November May - September April-June, September-October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1321 $1984 $2498 $1867 $1759 $1289
Rent $1650 $844 $965 $1174 $778 $717 $567
Groceries $243 $98 $136 $175 $281 $148 $10
Dining out $396 $121 $271 $313 $182 $280 $227
Cafe $66 $25 $37 $51 $49 $45 $27
Coworking space $331 $95 $164 $196 $159 $96 $140
Mobile internet $40 $11 $24 $10 $25 $21 $10
Public transportation $110 $9 $63 $78 $11 $95 $30
Taxis $73 $9 $27 $44 $9 $25 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $14 $18 $49 $24 $10 $40
Sport and cultural events $54 $24 $29 $54 $81 $45 $18
Museums and sights $11 $4 $24 $20 $20 $24 $12
Nightlife $124 $23 $47 $82 $64 $66 $82
Gym $62 $14 $65 $44 $69 $56 $23
Yoga $139 $19 $65 $142 $65 $82 $62
Massage $89 $10 $50 $64 $51 $48 $29
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Movistar, Claro, Personal Vodafone Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Telcel, Movistar Vodafone, MEO, NOS A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 5-10% at restaurants if happy with service, not expected at cafes or bars 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, FreeNow Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now Uber Uber, MyTaxi, Cabify TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable 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. 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. Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese 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.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas 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
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafรฉs for matรฉ 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! Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Local taverns, terraces, markets, tascas, churrascarias and local sports bars Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 46 options on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow