Austin vs Barcelona vs Bucharest vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Seoul

Austin 🇺🇸
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Barcelona 🇪🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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Population 926,426 5,585,556 1,830,000 2,900,000 15,520,000 9,963,452
Official language(s) English (de facto) Catalan, Spanish Romanian Spanish Turkish Korean
Level of English Very high High High High Low Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September - November April - October September - December April - June, September and October March - May, September - November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) EUR - Euro (€) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) KRW - South Korean won (₩)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost evewhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $2384 $1351 $1321 $659 $2184
Rent $1650 $932 $615 $844 $354 $797
Groceries $243 $121 $114 $98 $44 $356
Dining out $396 $403 $165 $121 $81 $211
Cafe $66 $45 $38 $25 $18 $69
Coworking space $331 $213 $133 $95 $49 $222
Mobile internet $40 $10 $7 $11 $3 $40
Public transportation $110 $127 $21 $9 $6 $40
Taxis $73 $48 $9 $9 $6 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $24 $25 $14 $2 $13
Sport and cultural events $54 $81 $29 $24 $11 $39
Museums and sights $11 $33 $29 $4 $15 $6
Nightlife $124 $112 $45 $23 $22 $93
Gym $62 $81 $30 $14 $9 $69
Yoga $139 $93 $59 $19 $23 $112
Massage $89 $59 $31 $10 $15 $75
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Movistar Vodafone, Orange Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 5-10% in restaurants if service is exceptional, not expected elsewhere 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 Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Cabify, FreeNow Star Taxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi Uber, Kakao
Tap water Drinkable 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. Catalan cuisine makes extensive use of Mediterranean vegetables, legumes mixed with pork in its many varieties, chicken and fish. Regularly mixes sweet and savory flavors in specific dishes. This cuisine is known for being bold in flavor and striking in color, with a variety of specific regional dishes found the culinary hub that is Barcelona. 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 Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Paella, bombas, esqueixada, pa amb tomáquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo 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 Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Taverns, tapas bars, local markets, bodegas and street food spots 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 Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 98 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow