Austin vs Bucharest vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul

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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Population 926,426 1,830,000 1,166,978 15,520,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Thai Turkish
Level of English Very high High Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October November - April April - June, September and October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places
Remote worker visa No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $974 $659
Rent $1650 $615 $274 $354
Groceries $243 $114 $169 $44
Dining out $396 $165 $108 $81
Cafe $66 $38 $45 $18
Coworking space $331 $133 $95 $49
Mobile internet $40 $7 $11 $3
Public transportation $110 $21 $60 $6
Taxis $73 $9 $20 $6
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $10 $2
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $8 $11
Museums and sights $11 $29 $8 $15
Nightlife $124 $45 $62 $22
Gym $62 $30 $41 $9
Yoga $139 $59 $55 $23
Massage $89 $31 $10 $15
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom
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
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Grab BiTaksi
Tap water 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
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
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
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow