Austin vs Barbados vs Bogota vs Bucharest vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul

Austin 🇺🇸
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Barbados 🇧🇧
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Bogota 🇨🇴
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Population 926,426 110,000 10,978,360 1,830,000 2,900,000 15,520,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) English, Bajan Creole Spanish Romanian Spanish Turkish
Level of English Very high Very high Low High High Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November November - May January - March, December April - October September - December April - June, September and October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) COP - Colombian Peso ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places
Remote worker visa No Yes No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $2702 $1097 $1351 $1321 $659
Rent $1650 $1054 $480 $615 $844 $354
Groceries $243 $234 $82 $114 $98 $44
Dining out $396 $345 $174 $165 $121 $81
Cafe $66 $75 $22 $38 $25 $18
Coworking space $331 $321 $77 $133 $95 $49
Mobile internet $40 $49 $11 $7 $11 $3
Public transportation $110 $35 $23 $21 $9 $6
Taxis $73 $106 $28 $9 $9 $6
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $0 $17 $25 $14 $2
Sport and cultural events $54 $37 $22 $29 $24 $11
Museums and sights $11 $36 $7 $29 $4 $15
Nightlife $124 $96 $46 $45 $23 $22
Gym $62 $86 $15 $30 $14 $9
Yoga $139 $130 $57 $59 $19 $23
Massage $89 $99 $37 $31 $10 $15
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Digicel Tigo, Movistar, Claro Vodafone, Orange Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10 - 15% usually included in restaurants, add 10 - 15% at bars 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft None available Uber, Cabify Star Taxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi
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. Bajan cuisine features an eclectic mix of European, Asian, and Caribbean styles resulting in bold, tasty and crunchy meat or fish dishes with lots of spices, lime juice, thyme and salads laden with local vegetables and hot side dishes. Latin American. Dishes with beef, pork and chicken are often mixed with flour-based foods and fruity desserts. Heavy influence from the Andes and other Colombian regions. Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Cou-cou and flying fish, fish cakes, cutters, pudding and souse, macaroni pie, conkies, Bajan black cake, sea eggs Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Food trucks, pubs, seaside street food, roadside carts, local seafood restaurants, smaller traditional restaurants and rum shops Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menú del día. Community markets and sports bars. Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 14 options on HappyCow 104 options on Happy Cow 33 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow