Austin vs Barbados vs Barcelona vs Bucharest vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul

Austin 🇺🇸
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Barbados 🇧🇧
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Barcelona 🇪🇸
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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 5,585,556 1,830,000 2,900,000 15,520,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) English, Bajan Creole Catalan, Spanish Romanian Spanish Turkish
Level of English Very high Very high High High High Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November November - May April - June, September - November April - October September - December April - June, September and October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) EUR - Euro (€) 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 almost evewhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places
Remote worker visa No Yes Yes No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $2702 $2384 $1351 $1321 $659
Rent $1650 $1054 $932 $615 $844 $354
Groceries $243 $234 $121 $114 $98 $44
Dining out $396 $345 $403 $165 $121 $81
Cafe $66 $75 $45 $38 $25 $18
Coworking space $331 $321 $213 $133 $95 $49
Mobile internet $40 $49 $10 $7 $11 $3
Public transportation $110 $35 $127 $21 $9 $6
Taxis $73 $106 $48 $9 $9 $6
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $0 $24 $25 $14 $2
Sport and cultural events $54 $37 $81 $29 $24 $11
Museums and sights $11 $36 $33 $29 $4 $15
Nightlife $124 $96 $112 $45 $23 $22
Gym $62 $86 $81 $30 $14 $9
Yoga $139 $130 $93 $59 $19 $23
Massage $89 $99 $59 $31 $10 $15
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Digicel Vodafone, Movistar 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 5-10% in restaurants if service is exceptional, not expected elsewhere 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 Cabify, FreeNow Star Taxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable 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. 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. 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 Paella, bombas, esqueixada, pa amb tomáquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo 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 Taverns, tapas bars, local markets, bodegas and street food spots 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 98 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow