Austin vs Bogota vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Panama City vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bogota 🇨🇴
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Panama City 🇵🇦
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Population 926,426 10,978,360 4,617,560 15,520,000 880,691 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Very high Low Very high Low Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Tocumen International Airport (PTY) Galeão International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October December - April January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) COP - Colombian Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1097 $1549 $659 $2359 $1833
Rent $1650 $480 $618 $354 $1036 $1066
Groceries $243 $82 $129 $44 $236 $95
Dining out $396 $174 $269 $81 $371 $210
Cafe $66 $22 $32 $18 $43 $25
Coworking space $331 $77 $151 $49 $157 $130
Mobile internet $40 $11 $27 $3 $21 $7
Public transportation $110 $23 $55 $6 $12 $33
Taxis $73 $28 $21 $6 $48 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $49 $2 $0 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $22 $19 $11 $35 $55
Museums and sights $11 $7 $15 $15 $9 $26
Nightlife $124 $46 $43 $22 $117 $54
Gym $62 $15 $36 $9 $37 $31
Yoga $139 $57 $56 $23 $163 $40
Massage $89 $37 $30 $15 $75 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Tigo, Movistar, Claro MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Claro, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
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 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber, Cabify Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, Tu Chofer Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water 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. 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. 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 Latin American. Emphasis on rice, beans, coconut, and local fruits and vegetables. Pork and beef are regularly used and influence from the islands gives seafood dishes a prominent spot in Panamanian cuisine. Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameños, tostones, ropa vieja Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
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. 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 Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks 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.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 104 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 7 options on HappyCow 54 options on Happy Cow