Austin vs Bucharest vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul vs Prague

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Chiang Mai 🇹🇭
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Prague 🇨🇿
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 1,166,978 15,520,000 1,305,737
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Thai Turkish Czech
Level of English Very high High Low Low High
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST) Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October November - April April - June, September and October June - October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) THB - Thai Baht (฿) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) CZK - Czech Koruna (Kč)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places Accepted most places (some places are cash only)
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $974 $659 $1806
Rent $1650 $615 $274 $354 $780
Groceries $243 $114 $169 $44 $158
Dining out $396 $165 $108 $81 $240
Cafe $66 $38 $45 $18 $53
Coworking space $331 $133 $95 $49 $175
Mobile internet $40 $7 $11 $3 $24
Public transportation $110 $21 $60 $6 $61
Taxis $73 $9 $20 $6 $33
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $10 $2 $19
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $8 $11 $19
Museums and sights $11 $29 $8 $15 $35
Nightlife $124 $45 $62 $22 $50
Gym $62 $30 $41 $9 $56
Yoga $139 $59 $55 $23 $66
Massage $89 $31 $10 $15 $37
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, T-Mobile
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 10% at restaurants and bars, round up elsewhere
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Grab BiTaksi Uber, Liftago
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 Thick soups are often combined with stewed vegetables and baked meats to produce rich dishes. Gravies and creams are popular in Czech cuisine, as is beer!
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 Vepřo knedlo zelo, Česnečka, Guláš, Svíčková na smetaně, Ovocné Knedlíky.
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 Pubs and taverns, street food stalls, local cafés
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 112 options on HappyCow