Austin vs Bangkok vs Chiang Mai vs New York City vs Panama City vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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New York City ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Panama City ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 1,166,978 8,323,340 880,691 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Thai English (de facto) Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Very high Low Low Very high Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Tocumen International Airport (PTY) Galeรฃo International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December November - April April - June, September - November December - April January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) USD - US Dollar ($) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $974 $5431 $2359 $1833
Rent $1650 $616 $274 $2891 $1036 $1066
Groceries $243 $191 $169 $383 $236 $95
Dining out $396 $168 $108 $656 $371 $210
Cafe $66 $45 $45 $72 $43 $25
Coworking space $331 $127 $95 $326 $157 $130
Mobile internet $40 $23 $11 $45 $21 $7
Public transportation $110 $32 $60 $220 $12 $33
Taxis $73 $19 $20 $78 $48 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $10 $30 $0 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $8 $100 $35 $55
Museums and sights $11 $21 $8 $74 $9 $26
Nightlife $124 $50 $62 $195 $117 $54
Gym $62 $96 $41 $55 $37 $31
Yoga $139 $98 $55 $197 $163 $40
Massage $89 $11 $10 $109 $75 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS AIS, DTAC AT&T, Verizon Claro, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Grab Uber, Lyft Uber, Tu Chofer Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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 Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables. American. Emphasis on comfort and fast food, with some good seafood dishes. Influence from other regions of the US, North America and the world make NYC a cosmopolitan and international cuisine hub that is incredibly diverse. Latin American. Emphasis on rice, beans, coconut, and local fruits and vegetables. Pork and beef are regularly used and influence from the islands gives seafood dishes a prominent spot in Panamanian cuisine. 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 Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Pizza, clam chowder, bagels, corned beef, pastrami, cheesecake, hot dogs, and hundred of other international food options. Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameรฑos, tostones, ropa vieja 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 Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Delis, local pizza shops, street food stalls and food trucks, food markets, local bakeries and smaller, authentic international cuisine restaurants Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks 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 90 options on HappyCow 309 options on HappyCow 7 options on HappyCow 54 options on Happy Cow