Austin vs Berlin vs Bucharest vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Rio de Janeiro vs Tbilisi

Austin 🇺🇸
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Berlin 🇩🇪
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Tbilisi 🇬🇪
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Population 926,426 3,400,000 1,830,000 2,900,000 15,520,000 6,718,903 1,108,700
Official language(s) English (de facto) German Romanian Spanish Turkish Portuguese Georgian
Level of English Very high Very high High High Low Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Berlin Tegel (TXL) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Galeão International Airport Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November May - September April - October September - December April - June, September and October January - March, December March - June
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) EUR - Euro (€) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) GEL - Georgian Lari (₾)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places but cash often preferred Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $2200 $1351 $1321 $659 $1833 $1462
Rent $1650 $939 $615 $844 $354 $1066 $752
Groceries $243 $188 $114 $98 $44 $95 $112
Dining out $396 $271 $165 $121 $81 $210 $169
Cafe $66 $57 $38 $25 $18 $25 $45
Coworking space $331 $174 $133 $95 $49 $130 $125
Mobile internet $40 $23 $7 $11 $3 $7 $4
Public transportation $110 $88 $21 $9 $6 $33 $8
Taxis $73 $58 $9 $9 $6 $14 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $25 $14 $2 $16 $27
Sport and cultural events $54 $64 $29 $24 $11 $55 $21
Museums and sights $11 $37 $29 $4 $15 $26 $9
Nightlife $124 $63 $45 $23 $22 $54 $53
Gym $62 $66 $30 $14 $9 $31 $33
Yoga $139 $99 $59 $19 $23 $40 $37
Massage $89 $56 $31 $10 $15 $32 $53
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Vodafone, Orange Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom Tim, Claro, Vivo Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars Round up for restaurants, not common for bars and services 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 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafés.
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Mytaxi, Uber Star Taxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber Yandex, Bolt
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. Heavy and hearty meals with plenty of meat, potatoes and bread 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 Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. Cuisine of the Caucasus meets regional diversity in Georgia. Emphasis on spices and meats (poultry, beef, pork and mutton) as well as soups and creams.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Currywurst, spätzle, königsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels 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 Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops 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 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. Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 844 listings on Happy Cow 33 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 10 options on Happy Cow