Austin vs Bucharest vs Buenos Aires vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 2,900,000 1,166,978 15,520,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Spanish Thai Turkish
Level of English Very high High High Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October September - December November - April April - June, September and October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places
Remote worker visa No No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $1321 $974 $659
Rent $1650 $615 $844 $274 $354
Groceries $243 $114 $98 $169 $44
Dining out $396 $165 $121 $108 $81
Cafe $66 $38 $25 $45 $18
Coworking space $331 $133 $95 $95 $49
Mobile internet $40 $7 $11 $11 $3
Public transportation $110 $21 $9 $60 $6
Taxis $73 $9 $9 $20 $6
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $14 $10 $2
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $24 $8 $11
Museums and sights $11 $29 $4 $8 $15
Nightlife $124 $45 $23 $62 $22
Gym $62 $30 $14 $41 $9
Yoga $139 $59 $19 $55 $23
Massage $89 $31 $10 $10 $15
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange Movistar, Claro, Personal AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom
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 cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Grab BiTaksi
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. 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 Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight
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 cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow