Austin vs Berlin vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Ubud

Austin 🇺🇸
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Berlin 🇩🇪
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Ubud 🇮🇩
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Population 926,426 3,400,000 2,900,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 112,490
Official language(s) English (de facto) German Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Indonesian and Balinese
Level of English Very high Very high High Very high Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Berlin Tegel (TXL) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPA)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November May - September September - December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October May - October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) EUR - Euro (€) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) IDR - Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places but cash often preferred Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No Yes No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $2200 $1321 $1549 $659 $1363
Rent $1650 $939 $844 $618 $354 $658
Groceries $243 $188 $98 $129 $44 $150
Dining out $396 $271 $121 $269 $81 $10
Cafe $66 $57 $25 $32 $18 $28
Coworking space $331 $174 $95 $151 $49 $106
Mobile internet $40 $23 $11 $27 $3 $3
Public transportation $110 $88 $9 $55 $6 $53
Taxis $73 $58 $9 $21 $6 $13
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $14 $49 $2 $33
Sport and cultural events $54 $64 $24 $19 $11 $14
Museums and sights $11 $37 $4 $15 $15 $9
Nightlife $124 $63 $23 $43 $22 $118
Gym $62 $66 $14 $36 $9 $72
Yoga $139 $99 $19 $56 $23 $87
Massage $89 $56 $10 $30 $15 $10
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom 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 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars Tip 5 - 10% in restaurants if service charge is not included in the bill
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Mytaxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Grab, GoJek
Tap water Drinkable 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 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 sautéed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish 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 Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight 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 Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee 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 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 255 listings on Happy Cow