Austin vs Bangkok vs Barcelona vs Buenos Aires vs Chiang Mai vs Madrid

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Barcelona ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 5,585,556 2,900,000 1,166,978 6,578,0179
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Catalan, Spanish Spanish Thai Spanish
Level of English Very high Low High High Low Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December April - June, September - November September - December November - April March - May, September - November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost evewhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $2384 $1321 $974 $2498
Rent $1650 $616 $932 $844 $274 $1174
Groceries $243 $191 $121 $98 $169 $175
Dining out $396 $168 $403 $121 $108 $313
Cafe $66 $45 $45 $25 $45 $51
Coworking space $331 $127 $213 $95 $95 $196
Mobile internet $40 $23 $10 $11 $11 $10
Public transportation $110 $32 $127 $9 $60 $78
Taxis $73 $19 $48 $9 $20 $44
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $24 $14 $10 $49
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $81 $24 $8 $54
Museums and sights $11 $21 $33 $4 $8 $20
Nightlife $124 $50 $112 $23 $62 $82
Gym $62 $96 $81 $14 $41 $44
Yoga $139 $98 $93 $19 $55 $142
Massage $89 $11 $59 $10 $10 $64
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Vodafone, Movistar Movistar, Claro, Personal AIS, DTAC Orange, Movistar, Vodafone
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% for restaurants, bars and services 5-10% in restaurants if service is exceptional, not expected elsewhere 10% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated.
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Cabify, FreeNow Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Grab Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup Catalan cuisine makes extensive use of Mediterranean vegetables, legumes mixed with pork in its many varieties, chicken and fish. Regularly mixes sweet and savory flavors in specific dishes. This cuisine is known for being bold in flavor and striking in color, with a variety of specific regional dishes found the culinary hub that is Barcelona. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables. Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Paella, bombas, esqueixada, pa amb tomรกquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Taverns, tapas bars, local markets, bodegas and street food spots Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food 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!
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 416 listings on Happy Cow 98 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 85 listings on Happy Cow