|
Austin 🇺🇸
|
Bogota 🇨🇴
|
Bucharest 🇷🇴
|
Istanbul 🇹🇷
|
Madrid 🇪🇸
|
Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽
|
|
| Population | 926,426 | 10,978,360 | 1,830,000 | 15,520,000 | 6,578,0179 | 259,453 |
| Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Spanish | Romanian | Turkish | Spanish | Spanish |
| Level of English | Very high | Low | High | Low | Moderate | Moderate |
| Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | El Dorado International Airport (BOG) | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) | Cancun International Airport (CUN) |
| Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | January - March, December | April - October | April - June, September and October | March - May, September - November | January - May, October - December |
| Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | COP - Colombian Peso ($) | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | EUR - Euro (€) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) |
| Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1097 | $1351 | $659 | $2498 | $2143 |
| Rent | $1650 | $480 | $615 | $354 | $1174 | $923 |
| Groceries | $243 | $82 | $114 | $44 | $175 | $127 |
| Dining out | $396 | $174 | $165 | $81 | $313 | $207 |
| Cafe | $66 | $22 | $38 | $18 | $51 | $42 |
| Coworking space | $331 | $77 | $133 | $49 | $196 | $160 |
| Mobile internet | $40 | $11 | $7 | $3 | $10 | $21 |
| Public transportation | $110 | $23 | $21 | $6 | $78 | $17 |
| Taxis | $73 | $28 | $9 | $6 | $44 | $9 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $17 | $25 | $2 | $49 | $49 |
| Sport and cultural events | $54 | $22 | $29 | $11 | $54 | $97 |
| Museums and sights | $11 | $7 | $29 | $15 | $20 | $217 |
| Nightlife | $124 | $46 | $45 | $22 | $82 | $77 |
| Gym | $62 | $15 | $30 | $9 | $44 | $42 |
| Yoga | $139 | $57 | $59 | $23 | $142 | $54 |
| Massage | $89 | $37 | $31 | $15 | $64 | $101 |
| SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Tigo, Movistar, Claro | Vodafone, Orange | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Orange, Movistar, Vodafone | Telcel, Movistar |
| 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 | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. | 10-15% for restaurants |
| Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Uber, Cabify | Star Taxi, Uber | BiTaksi | Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now | N/A |
| Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | 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. | 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. | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. | Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices |
| 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 | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileña, churros | Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole |
| 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 dÃa. Community markets and sports bars. | Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros! | Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's |
| Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 104 options on Happy Cow | 33 listings on Happy Cow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 85 listings on Happy Cow | 72 listings on Happy Cow |