Austin vs Barcelona vs Bucharest vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Barcelona ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Population 926,426 5,585,556 1,830,000 2,900,000 4,617,560
Official language(s) English (de facto) Catalan, Spanish Romanian Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English
Level of English Very high High High High Very high
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September - November April - October September - December March - May, September - November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost evewhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops
Remote worker visa No Yes No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $2384 $1351 $1321 $1549
Rent $1650 $932 $615 $844 $618
Groceries $243 $121 $114 $98 $129
Dining out $396 $403 $165 $121 $269
Cafe $66 $45 $38 $25 $32
Coworking space $331 $213 $133 $95 $151
Mobile internet $40 $10 $7 $11 $27
Public transportation $110 $127 $21 $9 $55
Taxis $73 $48 $9 $9 $21
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $24 $25 $14 $49
Sport and cultural events $54 $81 $29 $24 $19
Museums and sights $11 $33 $29 $4 $15
Nightlife $124 $112 $45 $23 $43
Gym $62 $81 $30 $14 $36
Yoga $139 $93 $59 $19 $56
Massage $89 $59 $31 $10 $30
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Movistar Vodafone, Orange Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom
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 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Cabify, FreeNow Star Taxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt
Tap water 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. 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 South African cuisine has been shaped by a long history of Dutch, Malay, British and Indian settlements, making the food diverse and strong in flavor. There is a strong emphasis on game in all of its different forms, as well as spicy sauces and sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Paella, bombas, esqueixada, pa amb tomรกquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow
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 Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 98 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow