Austin vs Barbados vs Bucharest vs Chiang Mai vs Hanoi vs Istanbul

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Barbados ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ง
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Hanoi ๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ณ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 110,000 1,830,000 1,166,978 8,053,663 15,520,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) English, Bajan Creole Romanian Thai Vietnamese Turkish
Level of English Very high Very high High Low Moderate Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Nแป™i Bร i International Airport (HAN) Istanbul Airport (IST)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November November - May April - October November - April January, February, October - December April - June, September and October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) VND - Vietnamese Dong (โ‚ซ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses Accepted almost everywhere Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in some places. Cash often preferred. Accepted in most places
Remote worker visa No Yes No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $2702 $1351 $974 $1167 $659
Rent $1650 $1054 $615 $274 $503 $354
Groceries $243 $234 $114 $169 $151 $44
Dining out $396 $345 $165 $108 $134 $81
Cafe $66 $75 $38 $45 $39 $18
Coworking space $331 $321 $133 $95 $72 $49
Mobile internet $40 $49 $7 $11 $4 $3
Public transportation $110 $35 $21 $60 $20 $6
Taxis $73 $106 $9 $20 $13 $6
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $0 $25 $10 $0 $2
Sport and cultural events $54 $37 $29 $8 $3 $11
Museums and sights $11 $36 $29 $8 $4 $15
Nightlife $124 $96 $45 $62 $89 $22
Gym $62 $86 $30 $41 $57 $9
Yoga $139 $130 $59 $55 $57 $23
Massage $89 $99 $31 $10 $21 $15
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Digicel Vodafone, Orange AIS, DTAC Viettel, Mobifone 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 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere Not required but appreciated, especially in taxis, restaurants and bars. Round up or add 10%. Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft None available Star Taxi, Uber Grab Grab, GoViet 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. Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. 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. 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
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 Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Pho, cha ca, Vietnamese coffee, pastries and breads Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, 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 Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Noodle Houses, Bakeries, Coffee and Tea Houses, street food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 14 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 104 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow