Austin vs Bucharest vs Cape Town vs Lisbon vs Rio de Janeiro vs Seoul

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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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 4,617,560 517,000 6,718,903 9,963,452
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Portuguese Portuguese Korean
Level of English Very high High Very high Very high Low Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Galeรฃo International Airport Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October March - May, September - November March - May, September, October January - March, December March - May, September - November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $1549 $1984 $1833 $2184
Rent $1650 $615 $618 $965 $1066 $797
Groceries $243 $114 $129 $136 $95 $356
Dining out $396 $165 $269 $271 $210 $211
Cafe $66 $38 $32 $37 $25 $69
Coworking space $331 $133 $151 $164 $130 $222
Mobile internet $40 $7 $27 $24 $7 $40
Public transportation $110 $21 $55 $63 $33 $40
Taxis $73 $9 $21 $27 $14 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $49 $18 $16 $13
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $19 $29 $55 $39
Museums and sights $11 $29 $15 $24 $26 $6
Nightlife $124 $45 $43 $47 $54 $93
Gym $62 $30 $36 $65 $31 $69
Yoga $139 $59 $56 $65 $40 $112
Massage $89 $31 $30 $50 $32 $75
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange MTN, Vodacom Vodafone Tim, Claro, Vivo KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
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 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Uber, Bolt Uber, FreeNow Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber Uber, Kakao
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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. 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. 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. 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 Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow 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. 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 Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets 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. Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow