Austin vs Bucharest vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul vs Tbilisi

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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Tbilisi ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 1,166,978 15,520,000 1,108,700
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Thai Turkish Georgian
Level of English Very high High Low Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST) Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October November - April April - June, September and October March - June
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) GEL - Georgian Lari (โ‚พ)
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 $1462
Rent $1650 $615 $274 $354 $752
Groceries $243 $114 $169 $44 $112
Dining out $396 $165 $108 $81 $169
Cafe $66 $38 $45 $18 $45
Coworking space $331 $133 $95 $49 $125
Mobile internet $40 $7 $11 $3 $4
Public transportation $110 $21 $60 $6 $8
Taxis $73 $9 $20 $6 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $10 $2 $27
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $8 $11 $21
Museums and sights $11 $29 $8 $15 $9
Nightlife $124 $45 $62 $22 $53
Gym $62 $30 $41 $9 $33
Yoga $139 $59 $55 $23 $37
Massage $89 $31 $10 $15 $53
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline
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 included in bill, not expected at bars or cafรฉs.
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Grab BiTaksi Yandex, Bolt
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. 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 Cuisine of the Caucasus meets regional diversity in Georgia. Emphasis on spices and meats (poultry, beef, pork and mutton) as well as soups and creams.
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 Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli
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 Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 10 options on Happy Cow