Austin vs Barbados vs Bucharest vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Barbados ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ง
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 110,000 1,830,000 1,166,978 15,520,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) English, Bajan Creole Romanian Thai Turkish
Level of English Very high Very high High Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November November - May April - October November - April April - June, September and October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses Accepted almost everywhere Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places
Remote worker visa No Yes No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $2702 $1351 $974 $659
Rent $1650 $1054 $615 $274 $354
Groceries $243 $234 $114 $169 $44
Dining out $396 $345 $165 $108 $81
Cafe $66 $75 $38 $45 $18
Coworking space $331 $321 $133 $95 $49
Mobile internet $40 $49 $7 $11 $3
Public transportation $110 $35 $21 $60 $6
Taxis $73 $106 $9 $20 $6
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $0 $25 $10 $2
Sport and cultural events $54 $37 $29 $8 $11
Museums and sights $11 $36 $29 $8 $15
Nightlife $124 $96 $45 $62 $22
Gym $62 $86 $30 $41 $9
Yoga $139 $130 $59 $55 $23
Massage $89 $99 $31 $10 $15
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Digicel Vodafone, Orange AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10 - 15% usually included in restaurants, add 10 - 15% at bars 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft None available Star Taxi, Uber Grab BiTaksi
Tap water 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. Bajan cuisine features an eclectic mix of European, Asian, and Caribbean styles resulting in bold, tasty and crunchy meat or fish dishes with lots of spices, lime juice, thyme and salads laden with local vegetables and hot side dishes. Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. 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. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Cou-cou and flying fish, fish cakes, cutters, pudding and souse, macaroni pie, conkies, Bajan black cake, sea eggs Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Food trucks, pubs, seaside street food, roadside carts, local seafood restaurants, smaller traditional restaurants and rum shops Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 14 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow