Austin vs Barbados vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Mexico City

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Barbados ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ง
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Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 926,426 110,000 2,900,000 15,520,000 517,000 8,850,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) English, Bajan Creole Spanish Turkish Portuguese Spanish
Level of English Very high Very high High Low Very high Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Mexico City International Airport (MEX)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November November - May September - December April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, October, November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Widely accepted (less with AMEX)
Remote worker visa No Yes No No Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $2702 $1321 $659 $1984 $1867
Rent $1650 $1054 $844 $354 $965 $778
Groceries $243 $234 $98 $44 $136 $281
Dining out $396 $345 $121 $81 $271 $182
Cafe $66 $75 $25 $18 $37 $49
Coworking space $331 $321 $95 $49 $164 $159
Mobile internet $40 $49 $11 $3 $24 $25
Public transportation $110 $35 $9 $6 $63 $11
Taxis $73 $106 $9 $6 $27 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $0 $14 $2 $18 $24
Sport and cultural events $54 $37 $24 $11 $29 $81
Museums and sights $11 $36 $4 $15 $24 $20
Nightlife $124 $96 $23 $22 $47 $64
Gym $62 $86 $14 $9 $65 $69
Yoga $139 $130 $19 $23 $65 $65
Massage $89 $99 $10 $15 $50 $51
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Digicel Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar
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% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft None available Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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. 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 Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese
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 Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas
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 restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus)
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 14 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow