Austin vs Bucharest vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs New York City

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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New York City 🇺🇸
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 2,900,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 8,323,340
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish English (de facto)
Level of English Very high High High Very high Low Very high
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October September - December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October April - June, September - November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) USD - US Dollar ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $1321 $1549 $659 $5431
Rent $1650 $615 $844 $618 $354 $2891
Groceries $243 $114 $98 $129 $44 $383
Dining out $396 $165 $121 $269 $81 $656
Cafe $66 $38 $25 $32 $18 $72
Coworking space $331 $133 $95 $151 $49 $326
Mobile internet $40 $7 $11 $27 $3 $45
Public transportation $110 $21 $9 $55 $6 $220
Taxis $73 $9 $9 $21 $6 $78
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $14 $49 $2 $30
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $24 $19 $11 $100
Museums and sights $11 $29 $4 $15 $15 $74
Nightlife $124 $45 $23 $43 $22 $195
Gym $62 $30 $14 $36 $9 $55
Yoga $139 $59 $19 $56 $23 $197
Massage $89 $31 $10 $30 $15 $109
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom AT&T, Verizon
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, Lyft
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. 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 fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish American. Emphasis on comfort and fast food, with some good seafood dishes. Influence from other regions of the US, North America and the world make NYC a cosmopolitan and international cuisine hub that is incredibly diverse.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Pizza, clam chowder, bagels, corned beef, pastrami, cheesecake, hot dogs, and hundred of other international food options.
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias 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 Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Delis, local pizza shops, street food stalls and food trucks, food markets, local bakeries and smaller, authentic international cuisine restaurants
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 309 options on HappyCow