Austin vs Bucharest vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Seoul

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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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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Larnaca ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ
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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 1,166,978 15,520,000 144,900 9,963,452
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Thai Turkish Greek Korean
Level of English Very high High Low Low High Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October November - April April - June, September and October March - May, October - December March - May, September - November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $974 $659 $1959 $2184
Rent $1650 $615 $274 $354 $678 $797
Groceries $243 $114 $169 $44 $157 $356
Dining out $396 $165 $108 $81 $261 $211
Cafe $66 $38 $45 $18 $56 $69
Coworking space $331 $133 $95 $49 $209 $222
Mobile internet $40 $7 $11 $3 $35 $40
Public transportation $110 $21 $60 $6 $63 $40
Taxis $73 $9 $20 $6 $42 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $10 $2 $45 $13
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $8 $11 $28 $39
Museums and sights $11 $29 $8 $15 $8 $6
Nightlife $124 $45 $62 $22 $110 $93
Gym $62 $30 $41 $9 $107 $69
Yoga $139 $59 $55 $23 $105 $112
Massage $89 $31 $10 $15 $54 $75
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
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 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Grab BiTaksi nTaxi Uber, Kakao
Tap water Drinkable Not 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 Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos 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 Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
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 Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available 57 options on Happy Cow