Austin vs Bogota vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Medellin vs Panama City

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bogota 🇨🇴
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Panama City 🇵🇦
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Population 926,426 10,978,360 2,900,000 4,617,560 2,427,000 880,691
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Spanish Spanish
Level of English Very high Low High Very high Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) Tocumen International Airport (PTY)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, December September - December March - May, September - November January - April, December December - April
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) COP - Colombian Peso ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) COP - Colombian Peso ($) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in some places Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops.
Remote worker visa No No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1097 $1321 $1549 $1293 $2359
Rent $1650 $480 $844 $618 $732 $1036
Groceries $243 $82 $98 $129 $87 $236
Dining out $396 $174 $121 $269 $131 $371
Cafe $66 $22 $25 $32 $18 $43
Coworking space $331 $77 $95 $151 $96 $157
Mobile internet $40 $11 $11 $27 $16 $21
Public transportation $110 $23 $9 $55 $21 $12
Taxis $73 $28 $9 $21 $14 $48
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $14 $49 $0 $0
Sport and cultural events $54 $22 $24 $19 $8 $35
Museums and sights $11 $7 $4 $15 $9 $9
Nightlife $124 $46 $23 $43 $73 $117
Gym $62 $15 $14 $36 $15 $37
Yoga $139 $57 $19 $56 $54 $163
Massage $89 $37 $10 $30 $20 $75
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Tigo, Movistar, Claro Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Claro, Tigo Claro, 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 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 10% in restaurants 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber, Cabify Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt EasyTaxi Uber, Tu Chofer
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. 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 blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats 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.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameños, tostones, ropa vieja
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. 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 Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 104 options on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 153 listings on Happy Cow 7 options on HappyCow