Austin vs Bogota vs Cape Town vs Playa del Carmen vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bogota ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 10,978,360 4,617,560 259,453 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Very high Low Very high Moderate Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Galeรฃo International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, December March - May, September - November January - May, October - December January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) COP - Colombian Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1097 $1549 $2143 $1833
Rent $1650 $480 $618 $923 $1066
Groceries $243 $82 $129 $127 $95
Dining out $396 $174 $269 $207 $210
Cafe $66 $22 $32 $42 $25
Coworking space $331 $77 $151 $160 $130
Mobile internet $40 $11 $27 $21 $7
Public transportation $110 $23 $55 $17 $33
Taxis $73 $28 $21 $9 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $49 $49 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $22 $19 $97 $55
Museums and sights $11 $7 $15 $217 $26
Nightlife $124 $46 $43 $77 $54
Gym $62 $15 $36 $42 $31
Yoga $139 $57 $56 $54 $40
Massage $89 $37 $30 $101 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Tigo, Movistar, Claro MTN, Vodacom Telcel, 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 10-15% for restaurants 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber, Cabify Uber, Bolt N/A Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water 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 sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices 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, buรฑuelos, patacones, tรฉ de coca, changua Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole 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. Menรบ del dรญa. Community markets and sports bars. Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's 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 72 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow