Austin vs Bucharest vs Cape Town vs Chiang Mai vs Lisbon vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 4,617,560 1,166,978 517,000 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Thai Portuguese Portuguese
Level of English Very high High Very high Low Very high Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Galeรฃo International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October March - May, September - November November - April March - May, September, October January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ZAR - South African Rand (R) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $1549 $974 $1984 $1833
Rent $1650 $615 $618 $274 $965 $1066
Groceries $243 $114 $129 $169 $136 $95
Dining out $396 $165 $269 $108 $271 $210
Cafe $66 $38 $32 $45 $37 $25
Coworking space $331 $133 $151 $95 $164 $130
Mobile internet $40 $7 $27 $11 $24 $7
Public transportation $110 $21 $55 $60 $63 $33
Taxis $73 $9 $21 $20 $27 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $49 $10 $18 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $19 $8 $29 $55
Museums and sights $11 $29 $15 $8 $24 $26
Nightlife $124 $45 $43 $62 $47 $54
Gym $62 $30 $36 $41 $65 $31
Yoga $139 $59 $56 $55 $65 $40
Massage $89 $31 $30 $10 $50 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange MTN, Vodacom AIS, DTAC Vodafone Tim, Claro, Vivo
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 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Uber, Bolt Grab Uber, FreeNow Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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. 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 sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. 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. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 90 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow