Austin vs Bucharest vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Medellin vs Ubud

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Ubud 🇮🇩
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 2,427,000 112,490
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Spanish Indonesian and Balinese
Level of English Very high High Very high Low Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPA)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October March - May, September - November April - June, September and October January - April, December May - October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) COP - Colombian Peso ($) IDR - Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted in some places Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $1549 $659 $1293 $1363
Rent $1650 $615 $618 $354 $732 $658
Groceries $243 $114 $129 $44 $87 $150
Dining out $396 $165 $269 $81 $131 $10
Cafe $66 $38 $32 $18 $18 $28
Coworking space $331 $133 $151 $49 $96 $106
Mobile internet $40 $7 $27 $3 $16 $3
Public transportation $110 $21 $55 $6 $21 $53
Taxis $73 $9 $21 $6 $14 $13
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $49 $2 $0 $33
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $19 $11 $8 $14
Museums and sights $11 $29 $15 $15 $9 $9
Nightlife $124 $45 $43 $22 $73 $118
Gym $62 $30 $36 $9 $15 $72
Yoga $139 $59 $56 $23 $54 $87
Massage $89 $31 $30 $15 $20 $10
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Claro, Tigo Telkomsel, XL Axiata
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 Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars Tip 10% in restaurants Tip 5 - 10% in restaurants if service charge is not included in the bill
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Uber, Bolt BiTaksi EasyTaxi Grab, GoJek
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. 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 A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats Balinese foods revolve on the complex flavors from certain ingredients like fresh vegetables, meat, coconut milk, and time-tested spices mixture.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Satay, nasi goreng, gado-gado, martabak, bubur sumsum
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 Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Warung for authentic babi guling and bebek betutu, cafes for kopi luwak, street stalls for pisang goreng, nasi campur, and sate lilit
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 255 listings on Happy Cow