Austin vs Bangkok vs Hanoi vs Istanbul vs Mexico City vs Rio de Janeiro

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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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 8,053,663 15,520,000 8,850,000 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Vietnamese Turkish Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Very high Low Moderate Low Moderate Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Nแป™i Bร i International Airport (HAN) Istanbul Airport (IST) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Galeรฃo International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December January, February, October - December April - June, September and October March - May, October, November January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) VND - Vietnamese Dong (โ‚ซ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places. Cash often preferred. Accepted in most places Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $1167 $659 $1867 $1833
Rent $1650 $616 $503 $354 $778 $1066
Groceries $243 $191 $151 $44 $281 $95
Dining out $396 $168 $134 $81 $182 $210
Cafe $66 $45 $39 $18 $49 $25
Coworking space $331 $127 $72 $49 $159 $130
Mobile internet $40 $23 $4 $3 $25 $7
Public transportation $110 $32 $20 $6 $11 $33
Taxis $73 $19 $13 $6 $9 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $0 $2 $24 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $3 $11 $81 $55
Museums and sights $11 $21 $4 $15 $20 $26
Nightlife $124 $50 $89 $22 $64 $54
Gym $62 $96 $57 $9 $69 $31
Yoga $139 $98 $57 $23 $65 $40
Massage $89 $11 $21 $15 $51 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Viettel, Mobifone Turkcell, Turk Telekom Telcel, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
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 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Grab, GoViet BiTaksi Uber Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, 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 Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese 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 Pho, cha ca, Vietnamese coffee, pastries and breads Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas 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 Noodle Houses, Bakeries, Coffee and Tea Houses, street food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) 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 104 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow