Austin vs Bogota vs Bucharest vs Istanbul vs Panama City

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bogota 🇨🇴
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Panama City 🇵🇦
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Population 926,426 10,978,360 1,830,000 15,520,000 880,691
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Romanian Turkish Spanish
Level of English Very high Low High Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST) Tocumen International Airport (PTY)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, December April - October April - June, September and October December - April
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) COP - Colombian Peso ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops.
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1097 $1351 $659 $2359
Rent $1650 $480 $615 $354 $1036
Groceries $243 $82 $114 $44 $236
Dining out $396 $174 $165 $81 $371
Cafe $66 $22 $38 $18 $43
Coworking space $331 $77 $133 $49 $157
Mobile internet $40 $11 $7 $3 $21
Public transportation $110 $23 $21 $6 $12
Taxis $73 $28 $9 $6 $48
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $25 $2 $0
Sport and cultural events $54 $22 $29 $11 $35
Museums and sights $11 $7 $29 $15 $9
Nightlife $124 $46 $45 $22 $117
Gym $62 $15 $30 $9 $37
Yoga $139 $57 $59 $23 $163
Massage $89 $37 $31 $15 $75
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Tigo, Movistar, Claro Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom 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 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 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber, Cabify Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi Uber, Tu Chofer
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. 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 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 Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight 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. Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 104 options on Happy Cow 33 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 7 options on HappyCow