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Austin 🇺🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Chiang Mai 🇹ðŸ‡
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Madrid 🇪🇸
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| Population | 926,426 | 1,830,000 | 1,166,978 | 15,520,000 | 517,000 | 6,578,0179 |
| Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Romanian | Thai | Turkish | Portuguese | Spanish |
| Level of English | Very high | High | Low | Low | Very high | Moderate |
| Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) | Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) |
| Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | April - October | November - April | April - June, September and October | March - May, September, October | March - May, September - November |
| Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | THB - Thai Baht (฿) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | EUR - Euro (€) | EUR - Euro (€) |
| Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. | Accepted in most places | Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) | Accepted everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1351 | $974 | $659 | $1984 | $2498 |
| Rent | $1650 | $615 | $274 | $354 | $965 | $1174 |
| Groceries | $243 | $114 | $169 | $44 | $136 | $175 |
| Dining out | $396 | $165 | $108 | $81 | $271 | $313 |
| Cafe | $66 | $38 | $45 | $18 | $37 | $51 |
| Coworking space | $331 | $133 | $95 | $49 | $164 | $196 |
| Mobile internet | $40 | $7 | $11 | $3 | $24 | $10 |
| Public transportation | $110 | $21 | $60 | $6 | $63 | $78 |
| Taxis | $73 | $9 | $20 | $6 | $27 | $44 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $25 | $10 | $2 | $18 | $49 |
| Sport and cultural events | $54 | $29 | $8 | $11 | $29 | $54 |
| Museums and sights | $11 | $29 | $8 | $15 | $24 | $20 |
| Nightlife | $124 | $45 | $62 | $22 | $47 | $82 |
| Gym | $62 | $30 | $41 | $9 | $65 | $44 |
| Yoga | $139 | $59 | $55 | $23 | $65 | $142 |
| Massage | $89 | $31 | $10 | $15 | $50 | $64 |
| SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Vodafone, Orange | AIS, DTAC | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Vodafone | Orange, Movistar, Vodafone |
| 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, not customary or expected elsewhere | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars | Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. |
| Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Star Taxi, Uber | Grab | BiTaksi | Uber, FreeNow | Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now |
| Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | 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. | 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 | Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries | Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. |
| Local food specialities | Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos | Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi | Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana | Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileña, churros |
| Eat like a local | Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries | 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 | Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants | Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros! |
| Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 33 listings on Happy Cow | 90 options on HappyCow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 401 listings on Happy Cow | 85 listings on Happy Cow |