Austin vs Bangkok vs Bogota vs Bucharest vs Cape Town vs Chiang Mai

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Bogota ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 10,978,360 1,830,000 4,617,560 1,166,978
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Spanish Romanian Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Thai
Level of English Very high Low Low High Very high Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December January - March, December April - October March - May, September - November November - April
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ZAR - South African Rand (R) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places.
Remote worker visa No No No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $1097 $1351 $1549 $974
Rent $1650 $616 $480 $615 $618 $274
Groceries $243 $191 $82 $114 $129 $169
Dining out $396 $168 $174 $165 $269 $108
Cafe $66 $45 $22 $38 $32 $45
Coworking space $331 $127 $77 $133 $151 $95
Mobile internet $40 $23 $11 $7 $27 $11
Public transportation $110 $32 $23 $21 $55 $60
Taxis $73 $19 $28 $9 $21 $20
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $17 $25 $49 $10
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $22 $29 $19 $8
Museums and sights $11 $21 $7 $29 $15 $8
Nightlife $124 $50 $46 $45 $43 $62
Gym $62 $96 $15 $30 $36 $41
Yoga $139 $98 $57 $59 $56 $55
Massage $89 $11 $37 $31 $30 $10
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Tigo, Movistar, Claro Vodafone, Orange MTN, Vodacom AIS, DTAC
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Uber, Cabify Star Taxi, Uber Uber, Bolt Grab
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not 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 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. Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. 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. 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.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buรฑuelos, patacones, tรฉ de coca, changua Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menรบ del dรญa. Community markets and sports bars. Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 416 listings on Happy Cow 104 options on Happy Cow 33 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 90 options on HappyCow