Bucharest vs Sofia

Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
Population 1,830,000 1,270,169
Official language(s) Romanian Bulgarian
Level of English High High
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit April - October April-June, September-October
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No
Average monthly costs $1351 $1289
Rent $615 $567
Groceries $114 $10
Dining out $165 $227
Cafe $38 $27
Coworking space $133 $140
Mobile internet $7 $10
Public transportation $21 $30
Taxis $9 $12
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $40
Sport and cultural events $29 $18
Museums and sights $29 $12
Nightlife $45 $82
Gym $30 $23
Yoga $59 $62
Massage $31 $29
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. 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 Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow