Austin vs Bangkok vs Bucharest vs Budapest vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Tbilisi vs Ubud

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Tbilisi 🇬🇪
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Ubud 🇮🇩
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 1,830,000 1,768,073 2,900,000 15,520,000 1,108,700 112,490
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Romanian Hungarian Spanish Turkish Georgian Indonesian and Balinese
Level of English Very high Low High High High Low Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPA)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December April - October March - June, September - November September - December April - June, September and October March - June May - October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (฿) RON - Romanian Leu (L) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) GEL - Georgian Lari (₾) IDR - Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No No No No No No Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $1351 $1230 $1321 $659 $1462 $1363
Rent $1650 $616 $615 $499 $844 $354 $752 $658
Groceries $243 $191 $114 $108 $98 $44 $112 $150
Dining out $396 $168 $165 $202 $121 $81 $169 $10
Cafe $66 $45 $38 $29 $25 $18 $45 $28
Coworking space $331 $127 $133 $120 $95 $49 $125 $106
Mobile internet $40 $23 $7 $9 $11 $3 $4 $3
Public transportation $110 $32 $21 $36 $9 $6 $8 $53
Taxis $73 $19 $9 $27 $9 $6 $14 $13
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $25 $13 $14 $2 $27 $33
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $29 $24 $24 $11 $21 $14
Museums and sights $11 $21 $29 $7 $4 $15 $9 $9
Nightlife $124 $50 $45 $43 $23 $22 $53 $118
Gym $62 $96 $30 $37 $14 $9 $33 $72
Yoga $139 $98 $59 $48 $19 $23 $37 $87
Massage $89 $11 $31 $26 $10 $15 $53 $10
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Vodafone, Orange Vodafone, Telenor Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline 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% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafés. Tip 5 - 10% in restaurants if service charge is not included in the bill
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Star Taxi, Uber Bolt, Fotaxi Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi Yandex, Bolt Grab, GoJek
Tap water Drinkable Not 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 Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. Magyar cuisine makes extensive use of creams, cheeses and sauces primarily in beef, chicken and pork dishes, mixed with seasonal vegetables, fruits and rich desserts. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish 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. 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 Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Goulash, Fisherman's soup, Főzelék, Somloi Galuska, Pörkölt and Paprikás, Kürtös Kalács, Hungarian Lecsó, Lángos Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli 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 Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars 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 33 listings on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 10 options on Happy Cow 255 listings on Happy Cow