Austin vs Bangkok vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese
Level of English Very high Low Very high Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Galeรฃo International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $1549 $659 $1833
Rent $1650 $616 $618 $354 $1066
Groceries $243 $191 $129 $44 $95
Dining out $396 $168 $269 $81 $210
Cafe $66 $45 $32 $18 $25
Coworking space $331 $127 $151 $49 $130
Mobile internet $40 $23 $27 $3 $7
Public transportation $110 $32 $55 $6 $33
Taxis $73 $19 $21 $6 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $49 $2 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $19 $11 $55
Museums and sights $11 $21 $15 $15 $26
Nightlife $124 $50 $43 $22 $54
Gym $62 $96 $36 $9 $31
Yoga $139 $98 $56 $23 $40
Massage $89 $11 $30 $15 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water 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 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. 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.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants 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 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.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 416 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow