Austin vs Berlin vs Bucharest vs Cape Town vs Lisbon vs Medellin vs Rio de Janeiro vs Ubud

Austin 🇺🇸
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Berlin 🇩🇪
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Ubud 🇮🇩
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Population 926,426 3,400,000 1,830,000 4,617,560 517,000 2,427,000 6,718,903 112,490
Official language(s) English (de facto) German Romanian Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Portuguese Spanish Portuguese Indonesian and Balinese
Level of English Very high Very high High Very high Very high Low Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Berlin Tegel (TXL) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) Galeão International Airport Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPA)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November May - September April - October March - May, September - November March - May, September, October January - April, December January - March, December May - October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) EUR - Euro (€) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) IDR - Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places but cash often preferred Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places Accepted everywhere Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No Yes No No Yes No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $2200 $1351 $1549 $1984 $1293 $1833 $1363
Rent $1650 $939 $615 $618 $965 $732 $1066 $658
Groceries $243 $188 $114 $129 $136 $87 $95 $150
Dining out $396 $271 $165 $269 $271 $131 $210 $10
Cafe $66 $57 $38 $32 $37 $18 $25 $28
Coworking space $331 $174 $133 $151 $164 $96 $130 $106
Mobile internet $40 $23 $7 $27 $24 $16 $7 $3
Public transportation $110 $88 $21 $55 $63 $21 $33 $53
Taxis $73 $58 $9 $21 $27 $14 $14 $13
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $25 $49 $18 $0 $16 $33
Sport and cultural events $54 $64 $29 $19 $29 $8 $55 $14
Museums and sights $11 $37 $29 $15 $24 $9 $26 $9
Nightlife $124 $63 $45 $43 $47 $73 $54 $118
Gym $62 $66 $30 $36 $65 $15 $31 $72
Yoga $139 $99 $59 $56 $65 $54 $40 $87
Massage $89 $56 $31 $30 $50 $20 $32 $10
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Vodafone, Orange MTN, Vodacom Vodafone Claro, Tigo Tim, Claro, Vivo Telkomsel, XL Axiata
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 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common Tip 5 - 10% in restaurants if service charge is not included in the bill
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Mytaxi, Uber Star Taxi, Uber Uber, Bolt Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber Grab, GoJek
Tap water Drinkable Drinkable Not 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. 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. 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 sautéed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. Balinese foods revolve on the complex flavors from certain ingredients like fresh vegetables, meat, coconut milk, and time-tested spices mixture.
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 Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. Satay, nasi goreng, gado-gado, martabak, bubur sumsum
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 Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food 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. Warung for authentic babi guling and bebek betutu, cafes for kopi luwak, street stalls for pisang goreng, nasi campur, and sate lilit
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 844 listings on Happy Cow 33 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 255 listings on Happy Cow