Austin 🇺🇸
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Bogota 🇨🇴
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Larnaca 🇨🇾
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Madrid 🇪🇸
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Population | 926,426 | 10,978,360 | 1,830,000 | 15,520,000 | 144,900 | 6,578,0179 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Spanish | Romanian | Turkish | Greek | Spanish |
Level of English | Very high | Low | High | Low | High | Moderate |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | El Dorado International Airport (BOG) | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Larnaca International Airport (LCA) | Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | January - March, December | April - October | April - June, September and October | March - May, October - December | March - May, September - November |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | COP - Colombian Peso ($) | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | EUR - Euro (€) | EUR - Euro (€) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1097 | $1351 | $659 | $1959 | $2498 |
Rent | $1650 | $480 | $615 | $354 | $678 | $1174 |
Groceries | $243 | $82 | $114 | $44 | $157 | $175 |
Dining out | $396 | $174 | $165 | $81 | $261 | $313 |
Cafe | $66 | $22 | $38 | $18 | $56 | $51 |
Coworking space | $331 | $77 | $133 | $49 | $209 | $196 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $11 | $7 | $3 | $35 | $10 |
Public transportation | $110 | $23 | $21 | $6 | $63 | $78 |
Taxis | $73 | $28 | $9 | $6 | $42 | $44 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $17 | $25 | $2 | $45 | $49 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $22 | $29 | $11 | $28 | $54 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $7 | $29 | $15 | $8 | $20 |
Nightlife | $124 | $46 | $45 | $22 | $110 | $82 |
Gym | $62 | $15 | $30 | $9 | $107 | $44 |
Yoga | $139 | $57 | $59 | $23 | $105 | $142 |
Massage | $89 | $37 | $31 | $15 | $54 | $64 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Tigo, Movistar, Claro | Vodafone, Orange | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN | Orange, Movistar, Vodafone |
Tipping | 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars | 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service | 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars | Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Uber, Cabify | Star Taxi, Uber | BiTaksi | nTaxi | Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now |
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. | Latin American. Dishes with beef, pork and chicken are often mixed with flour-based foods and fruity desserts. Heavy influence from the Andes and other Colombian regions. | Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. | 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.. | Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. |
Local food specialities | Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos | Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua | Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka | Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileña, churros |
Eat like a local | Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries | Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menú del dÃa. Community markets and sports bars. | Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias | 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. | Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros! |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 104 options on Happy Cow | 33 listings on Happy Cow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available | 85 listings on Happy Cow |