I'm from Montreal, but moved to Moscow and then Prague a while ago. It's more difficult in Russia and in the Czech Republic, more conservative in EE. In Montreal it was easier, but way less volume in terms of hot girls. I get very few lays, it's number game but when I get laid it's worth all the rejections because the girl is usually super hot (for my tastes).
I rarely get rejected during the approach but of course the boyfriend excuse is common, is it true or not? I don't care I just move on.
The approach and getting her contact info is the easy part, the dating and escalation process is where it gets difficult (in the EE culture where I live now). I'd say I go on a date with 50% of the girks I approach and I get laid with 5-10%. Which are "normal" stats for ".cold approach". Cold approach is not about getting laid with a bunch of below average or average girls, it's about being patient and getting laid with super hot girls now and then. It's a mentality, a lifestyle. I've been with 33 girls, it's not a high lay count, but ALL of them were hot, some 9s.