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Austin ๐บ๐ธ
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Bucharest ๐ท๐ด
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Chiang Mai ๐น๐ญ
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Istanbul ๐น๐ท
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Madrid ๐ช๐ธ
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| Population | 926,426 | 1,830,000 | 1,166,978 | 15,520,000 | 6,578,0179 |
| Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Romanian | Thai | Turkish | Spanish |
| Level of English | Very high | High | Low | Low | Moderate |
| Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | 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 - November |
| Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) |
| Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1351 | $974 | $659 | $2498 |
| Rent | $1650 | $615 | $274 | $354 | $1174 |
| Groceries | $243 | $114 | $169 | $44 | $175 |
| Dining out | $396 | $165 | $108 | $81 | $313 |
| Cafe | $66 | $38 | $45 | $18 | $51 |
| Coworking space | $331 | $133 | $95 | $49 | $196 |
| Mobile internet | $40 | $7 | $11 | $3 | $10 |
| Public transportation | $110 | $21 | $60 | $6 | $78 |
| Taxis | $73 | $9 | $20 | $6 | $44 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $25 | $10 | $2 | $49 |
| Sport and cultural events | $54 | $29 | $8 | $11 | $54 |
| Museums and sights | $11 | $29 | $8 | $15 | $20 |
| Nightlife | $124 | $45 | $62 | $22 | $82 |
| Gym | $62 | $30 | $41 | $9 | $44 |
| Yoga | $139 | $59 | $55 | $23 | $142 |
| Massage | $89 | $31 | $10 | $15 | $64 |
| SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Vodafone, Orange | AIS, DTAC | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | 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, cafรฉs and bars | Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. |
| Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Star Taxi, Uber | Grab | BiTaksi | Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now |
| Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not 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. | 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, 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, mฤmฤligฤ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤ de burtฤ, 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 | Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, 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 | 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 | 85 listings on Happy Cow |