Austin 🇺🇸
|
Bucharest 🇷🇴
|
Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
|
Istanbul 🇹🇷
|
Mexico City 🇲🇽
|
|
Population | 926,426 | 1,830,000 | 2,900,000 | 15,520,000 | 8,850,000 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Romanian | Spanish | Turkish | Spanish |
Level of English | Very high | High | High | Low | Moderate |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Mexico City International Airport (MEX) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | April - October | September - December | April - June, September and October | March - May, October, November |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | ARS - Argentine Peso ($) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) | Accepted in most places | Widely accepted (less with AMEX) |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1351 | $1321 | $659 | $1867 |
Rent | $1650 | $615 | $844 | $354 | $778 |
Groceries | $243 | $114 | $98 | $44 | $281 |
Dining out | $396 | $165 | $121 | $81 | $182 |
Cafe | $66 | $38 | $25 | $18 | $49 |
Coworking space | $331 | $133 | $95 | $49 | $159 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $7 | $11 | $3 | $25 |
Public transportation | $110 | $21 | $9 | $6 | $11 |
Taxis | $73 | $9 | $9 | $6 | $9 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $25 | $14 | $2 | $24 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $29 | $24 | $11 | $81 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $29 | $4 | $15 | $20 |
Nightlife | $124 | $45 | $23 | $22 | $64 |
Gym | $62 | $30 | $14 | $9 | $69 |
Yoga | $139 | $59 | $19 | $23 | $65 |
Massage | $89 | $31 | $10 | $15 | $51 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Vodafone, Orange | Movistar, Claro, Personal | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Telcel, Movistar |
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 | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Star Taxi, Uber | Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) | BiTaksi | 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. | 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 | A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish | Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese |
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 | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas |
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 | Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee | Markets, food stalls, menú del dÃa (cheap set lunch menus) |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 33 listings on Happy Cow | 79 options on Happy Cow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 279 listings on Happy Cow |