Austin vs Bogota vs Bucharest vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul vs Seoul

Austin 🇺🇸
Remove
Bogota 🇨🇴
Remove
Bucharest 🇷🇴
Remove
Chiang Mai 🇹🇭
Remove
Istanbul 🇹🇷
Remove
Seoul 🇰🇷
Remove
Population 926,426 10,978,360 1,830,000 1,166,978 15,520,000 9,963,452
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Romanian Thai Turkish Korean
Level of English Very high Low High Low Low Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, December April - October November - April April - June, September and October March - May, September - November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) COP - Colombian Peso ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) THB - Thai Baht (฿) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) KRW - South Korean won (₩)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1097 $1351 $974 $659 $2184
Rent $1650 $480 $615 $274 $354 $797
Groceries $243 $82 $114 $169 $44 $356
Dining out $396 $174 $165 $108 $81 $211
Cafe $66 $22 $38 $45 $18 $69
Coworking space $331 $77 $133 $95 $49 $222
Mobile internet $40 $11 $7 $11 $3 $40
Public transportation $110 $23 $21 $60 $6 $40
Taxis $73 $28 $9 $20 $6 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $25 $10 $2 $13
Sport and cultural events $54 $22 $29 $8 $11 $39
Museums and sights $11 $7 $29 $8 $15 $6
Nightlife $124 $46 $45 $62 $22 $93
Gym $62 $15 $30 $41 $9 $69
Yoga $139 $57 $59 $55 $23 $112
Massage $89 $37 $31 $10 $15 $75
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Tigo, Movistar, Claro Vodafone, Orange AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber, Cabify Star Taxi, Uber Grab BiTaksi Uber, Kakao
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. Latin American. Dishes with beef, pork and chicken are often mixed with flour-based foods and fruity desserts. Heavy influence from the Andes and other Colombian regions. Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menú del día. Community markets and sports bars. Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 104 options on Happy Cow 33 listings on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow