Austin vs Bangkok vs Barcelona vs Istanbul vs Rio de Janeiro vs Tbilisi

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
Remove
Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
Remove
Barcelona ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
Remove
Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
Remove
Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
Remove
Tbilisi ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช
Remove
Population 926,426 5,680,000 5,585,556 15,520,000 6,718,903 1,108,700
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Catalan, Spanish Turkish Portuguese Georgian
Level of English Very high Low High Low Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) Istanbul Airport (IST) Galeรฃo International Airport Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December April - June, September - November April - June, September and October January - March, December March - June
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) GEL - Georgian Lari (โ‚พ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost evewhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $2384 $659 $1833 $1462
Rent $1650 $616 $932 $354 $1066 $752
Groceries $243 $191 $121 $44 $95 $112
Dining out $396 $168 $403 $81 $210 $169
Cafe $66 $45 $45 $18 $25 $45
Coworking space $331 $127 $213 $49 $130 $125
Mobile internet $40 $23 $10 $3 $7 $4
Public transportation $110 $32 $127 $6 $33 $8
Taxis $73 $19 $48 $6 $14 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $24 $2 $16 $27
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $81 $11 $55 $21
Museums and sights $11 $21 $33 $15 $26 $9
Nightlife $124 $50 $112 $22 $54 $53
Gym $62 $96 $81 $9 $31 $33
Yoga $139 $98 $93 $23 $40 $37
Massage $89 $11 $59 $15 $32 $53
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Vodafone, Movistar Turkcell, Turk Telekom Tim, Claro, Vivo Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline
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 Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafรฉs.
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Cabify, FreeNow BiTaksi Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber Yandex, Bolt
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not 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. 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. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. Cuisine of the Caucasus meets regional diversity in Georgia. Emphasis on spices and meats (poultry, beef, pork and mutton) as well as soups and creams.
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 Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli
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 Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee 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. Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 416 listings on Happy Cow 98 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 10 options on Happy Cow