Austin vs Barcelona vs Bogota vs Bucharest vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin 🇺🇸
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Barcelona 🇪🇸
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Bogota 🇨🇴
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Chiang Mai 🇹🇭
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Population 926,426 5,585,556 10,978,360 1,830,000 1,166,978 15,520,000 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Catalan, Spanish Spanish Romanian Thai Turkish Portuguese
Level of English Very high High Low High Low Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST) Galeão International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September - November January - March, December April - October November - April April - June, September and October January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) THB - Thai Baht (฿) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost evewhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes No No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $2384 $1097 $1351 $974 $659 $1833
Rent $1650 $932 $480 $615 $274 $354 $1066
Groceries $243 $121 $82 $114 $169 $44 $95
Dining out $396 $403 $174 $165 $108 $81 $210
Cafe $66 $45 $22 $38 $45 $18 $25
Coworking space $331 $213 $77 $133 $95 $49 $130
Mobile internet $40 $10 $11 $7 $11 $3 $7
Public transportation $110 $127 $23 $21 $60 $6 $33
Taxis $73 $48 $28 $9 $20 $6 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $24 $17 $25 $10 $2 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $81 $22 $29 $8 $11 $55
Museums and sights $11 $33 $7 $29 $8 $15 $26
Nightlife $124 $112 $46 $45 $62 $22 $54
Gym $62 $81 $15 $30 $41 $9 $31
Yoga $139 $93 $57 $59 $55 $23 $40
Massage $89 $59 $37 $31 $10 $15 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Movistar Tigo, Movistar, Claro Vodafone, Orange AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 5-10% in restaurants if service is exceptional, not expected elsewhere 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, not customary or expected elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Cabify, FreeNow Uber, Cabify Star Taxi, Uber Grab BiTaksi Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Drinkable 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. Catalan cuisine makes extensive use of Mediterranean vegetables, legumes mixed with pork in its many varieties, chicken and fish. Regularly mixes sweet and savory flavors in specific dishes. This cuisine is known for being bold in flavor and striking in color, with a variety of specific regional dishes found the culinary hub that is Barcelona. 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. 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 fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish 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 Paella, bombas, esqueixada, pa amb tomáquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight 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 Taverns, tapas bars, local markets, bodegas and street food spots Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menú del día. Community markets and sports bars. Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee 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 98 options on HappyCow 104 options on Happy Cow 33 listings on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow