Austin 🇺🇸
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Bangkok 🇹ðŸ‡
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Barcelona 🇪🇸
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Bogota 🇨🇴
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Ubud 🇮🇩
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Population | 926,426 | 5,680,000 | 5,585,556 | 10,978,360 | 4,617,560 | 15,520,000 | 112,490 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Thai | Catalan, Spanish | Spanish | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Turkish | Indonesian and Balinese |
Level of English | Very high | Low | High | Low | Very high | Low | Low |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) | Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) | El Dorado International Airport (BOG) | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPA) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | January - March, November, December | April - June, September - November | January - March, December | March - May, September - November | April - June, September and October | May - October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | THB - Thai Baht (฿) | EUR - Euro (€) | COP - Colombian Peso ($) | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | IDR - Indonesian Rupiah (Rp) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost evewhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted in most places | Accepted in some places |
Remote worker visa | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1560 | $2384 | $1097 | $1549 | $659 | $1363 |
Rent | $1650 | $616 | $932 | $480 | $618 | $354 | $658 |
Groceries | $243 | $191 | $121 | $82 | $129 | $44 | $150 |
Dining out | $396 | $168 | $403 | $174 | $269 | $81 | $10 |
Cafe | $66 | $45 | $45 | $22 | $32 | $18 | $28 |
Coworking space | $331 | $127 | $213 | $77 | $151 | $49 | $106 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $23 | $10 | $11 | $27 | $3 | $3 |
Public transportation | $110 | $32 | $127 | $23 | $55 | $6 | $53 |
Taxis | $73 | $19 | $48 | $28 | $21 | $6 | $13 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $17 | $24 | $17 | $49 | $2 | $33 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $46 | $81 | $22 | $19 | $11 | $14 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $21 | $33 | $7 | $15 | $15 | $9 |
Nightlife | $124 | $50 | $112 | $46 | $43 | $22 | $118 |
Gym | $62 | $96 | $81 | $15 | $36 | $9 | $72 |
Yoga | $139 | $98 | $93 | $57 | $56 | $23 | $87 |
Massage | $89 | $11 | $59 | $37 | $30 | $15 | $10 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | AIS | Vodafone, Movistar | Tigo, Movistar, Claro | MTN, Vodacom | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Telkomsel, XL Axiata |
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 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | Tip 5 - 10% in restaurants if service charge is not included in the bill |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Grab | Cabify, FreeNow | Uber, Cabify | Uber, Bolt | BiTaksi | Grab, GoJek |
Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | 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 | 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. | 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 sautéed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | Balinese foods revolve on the complex flavors from certain ingredients like fresh vegetables, meat, coconut milk, and time-tested spices mixture. |
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 tomáquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo | Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua | Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Satay, nasi goreng, gado-gado, martabak, bubur sumsum |
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. Menú del dÃa. Community markets and sports bars. | Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Warung for authentic babi guling and bebek betutu, cafes for kopi luwak, street stalls for pisang goreng, nasi campur, and sate lilit |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 416 listings on Happy Cow | 98 options on HappyCow | 104 options on Happy Cow | 24 options on HappyCow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 255 listings on Happy Cow |