Austin vs Bangkok vs Panama City vs Rio de Janeiro vs Seoul

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Panama City ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 880,691 6,718,903 9,963,452
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Spanish Portuguese Korean
Level of English Very high Low Low Low Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Tocumen International Airport (PTY) Galeรฃo International Airport Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December December - April January - March, December March - May, September - November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $2359 $1833 $2184
Rent $1650 $616 $1036 $1066 $797
Groceries $243 $191 $236 $95 $356
Dining out $396 $168 $371 $210 $211
Cafe $66 $45 $43 $25 $69
Coworking space $331 $127 $157 $130 $222
Mobile internet $40 $23 $21 $7 $40
Public transportation $110 $32 $12 $33 $40
Taxis $73 $19 $48 $14 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $0 $16 $13
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $35 $55 $39
Museums and sights $11 $21 $9 $26 $6
Nightlife $124 $50 $117 $54 $93
Gym $62 $96 $37 $31 $69
Yoga $139 $98 $163 $40 $112
Massage $89 $11 $75 $32 $75
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Claro, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Uber, Tu Chofer Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber Uber, Kakao
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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 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. Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameรฑos, tostones, ropa vieja Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Food stalls, local markets, shophouse 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. Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 416 listings on Happy Cow 7 options on HappyCow 54 options on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow