Austin vs Bucharest vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Playa del Carmen

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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Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 2,900,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 259,453
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Spanish
Level of English Very high High High Very high Low Moderate
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) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October September - December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October January - May, October - December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
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 almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $1321 $1549 $659 $2143
Rent $1650 $615 $844 $618 $354 $923
Groceries $243 $114 $98 $129 $44 $127
Dining out $396 $165 $121 $269 $81 $207
Cafe $66 $38 $25 $32 $18 $42
Coworking space $331 $133 $95 $151 $49 $160
Mobile internet $40 $7 $11 $27 $3 $21
Public transportation $110 $21 $9 $55 $6 $17
Taxis $73 $9 $9 $21 $6 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $14 $49 $2 $49
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $24 $19 $11 $97
Museums and sights $11 $29 $4 $15 $15 $217
Nightlife $124 $45 $23 $43 $22 $77
Gym $62 $30 $14 $36 $9 $42
Yoga $139 $59 $19 $56 $23 $54
Massage $89 $31 $10 $30 $15 $101
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom 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 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt BiTaksi N/A
Tap water Drinkable Not 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 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 Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices
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 Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
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 Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
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 72 listings on Happy Cow