Austin vs Bangkok vs Barcelona vs Bogota vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town 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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Bogota ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 5,585,556 10,978,360 2,900,000 4,617,560 6,578,0179
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Catalan, Spanish Spanish Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Spanish
Level of English Very high Low High Low High Very high Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December April - June, September - November January - March, December September - December March - May, September - November March - May, September - November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost evewhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $2384 $1097 $1321 $1549 $2498
Rent $1650 $616 $932 $480 $844 $618 $1174
Groceries $243 $191 $121 $82 $98 $129 $175
Dining out $396 $168 $403 $174 $121 $269 $313
Cafe $66 $45 $45 $22 $25 $32 $51
Coworking space $331 $127 $213 $77 $95 $151 $196
Mobile internet $40 $23 $10 $11 $11 $27 $10
Public transportation $110 $32 $127 $23 $9 $55 $78
Taxis $73 $19 $48 $28 $9 $21 $44
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $24 $17 $14 $49 $49
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $81 $22 $24 $19 $54
Museums and sights $11 $21 $33 $7 $4 $15 $20
Nightlife $124 $50 $112 $46 $23 $43 $82
Gym $62 $96 $81 $15 $14 $36 $44
Yoga $139 $98 $93 $57 $19 $56 $142
Massage $89 $11 $59 $37 $10 $30 $64
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Vodafone, Movistar Tigo, Movistar, Claro Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom 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% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service 10% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated.
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Cabify, FreeNow Uber, Cabify Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not 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. Latin American. Dishes with beef, pork and chicken are often mixed with flour-based foods and fruity desserts. Heavy influence from the Andes and other Colombian regions. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options South African cuisine has been shaped by a long history of Dutch, Malay, British and Indian settlements, making the food diverse and strong in flavor. There is a strong emphasis on game in all of its different forms, as well as spicy sauces and sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. 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 Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buรฑuelos, patacones, tรฉ de coca, changua Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow 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 family restaurants and those from other regions. Menรบ del dรญa. Community markets and sports bars. Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets 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 104 options on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 85 listings on Happy Cow