Austin vs Bucharest vs Hanoi vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin 🇺🇸
Remove
Bucharest 🇷🇴
Remove
Hanoi 🇻🇳
Remove
Istanbul 🇹🇷
Remove
Lisbon 🇵🇹
Remove
Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
Remove
Population 926,426 1,830,000 8,053,663 15,520,000 517,000 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Vietnamese Turkish Portuguese Portuguese
Level of English Very high High Moderate Low Very high Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Nội Bài International Airport (HAN) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Galeão International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October January, February, October - December April - June, September and October March - May, September, October January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) VND - Vietnamese Dong (₫) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in some places. Cash often preferred. Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $1167 $659 $1984 $1833
Rent $1650 $615 $503 $354 $965 $1066
Groceries $243 $114 $151 $44 $136 $95
Dining out $396 $165 $134 $81 $271 $210
Cafe $66 $38 $39 $18 $37 $25
Coworking space $331 $133 $72 $49 $164 $130
Mobile internet $40 $7 $4 $3 $24 $7
Public transportation $110 $21 $20 $6 $63 $33
Taxis $73 $9 $13 $6 $27 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $0 $2 $18 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $3 $11 $29 $55
Museums and sights $11 $29 $4 $15 $24 $26
Nightlife $124 $45 $89 $22 $47 $54
Gym $62 $30 $57 $9 $65 $31
Yoga $139 $59 $57 $23 $65 $40
Massage $89 $31 $21 $15 $50 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange Viettel, Mobifone Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Tim, Claro, Vivo
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 Not required but appreciated, especially in taxis, restaurants and bars. Round up or add 10%. Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Grab, GoViet BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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. A mix of French, Southeast Asian and Chinese with lots of fresh herbs and spices. Northern Vietnam cuisine includes a lot of fish and noodles. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Pho, cha ca, Vietnamese coffee, pastries and breads Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Noodle Houses, Bakeries, Coffee and Tea Houses, street food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 104 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow