Austin vs Bangkok vs Hanoi vs Istanbul vs Lviv vs Mexico City

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Hanoi ๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ณ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lviv ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 8,053,663 15,520,000 731,387 8,850,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Vietnamese Turkish Ukrainian Spanish
Level of English Very high Low Moderate Low Low Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Nแป™i Bร i International Airport (HAN) Istanbul Airport (IST) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) Mexico City International Airport (MEX)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December January, February, October - December April - June, September and October May - September March - May, October, November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) VND - Vietnamese Dong (โ‚ซ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โ‚ด) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places. Cash often preferred. Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere Widely accepted (less with AMEX)
Remote worker visa No No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $1167 $659 $922 $1867
Rent $1650 $616 $503 $354 $400 $778
Groceries $243 $191 $151 $44 $91 $281
Dining out $396 $168 $134 $81 $151 $182
Cafe $66 $45 $39 $18 $21 $49
Coworking space $331 $127 $72 $49 $79 $159
Mobile internet $40 $23 $4 $3 $4 $25
Public transportation $110 $32 $20 $6 $5 $11
Taxis $73 $19 $13 $6 $12 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $0 $2 $16 $24
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $3 $11 $13 $81
Museums and sights $11 $21 $4 $15 $9 $20
Nightlife $124 $50 $89 $22 $43 $64
Gym $62 $96 $57 $9 $22 $69
Yoga $139 $98 $57 $23 $30 $65
Massage $89 $11 $21 $15 $27 $51
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Viettel, Mobifone Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, Kyivstar Telcel, Movistar
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% for restaurants, bars and services Not required but appreciated, especially in taxis, restaurants and bars. Round up or add 10%. Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Grab, GoViet BiTaksi Uber, Uklon Uber
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 A mix of French, Southeast Asian and Chinese with lots of fresh herbs and spices. Northern Vietnam cuisine includes a lot of fish and noodles. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Slavic. Emphasis on frilled meats combined with potatoes, carrots, pickles and cabbage. Creamy deserts often elaborated with cottage cheese. Lviv enjoys culinary influences from Kiev (traditional with an emphasis on chicken) and Odessa (various seafood dishes). Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Pho, cha ca, Vietnamese coffee, pastries and breads Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Noodle Houses, Bakeries, Coffee and Tea Houses, street food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus)
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 416 listings on Happy Cow 104 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 9 options on HappyCow 279 listings on Happy Cow