Austin vs Bucharest vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Madrid vs Ubud

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Ubud ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 6,578,0179 112,490
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Spanish Indonesian and Balinese
Level of English Very high High Very high Low Moderate Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPA)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September - November May - October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) IDR - Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $1549 $659 $2498 $1363
Rent $1650 $615 $618 $354 $1174 $658
Groceries $243 $114 $129 $44 $175 $150
Dining out $396 $165 $269 $81 $313 $10
Cafe $66 $38 $32 $18 $51 $28
Coworking space $331 $133 $151 $49 $196 $106
Mobile internet $40 $7 $27 $3 $10 $3
Public transportation $110 $21 $55 $6 $78 $53
Taxis $73 $9 $21 $6 $44 $13
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $49 $2 $49 $33
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $19 $11 $54 $14
Museums and sights $11 $29 $15 $15 $20 $9
Nightlife $124 $45 $43 $22 $82 $118
Gym $62 $30 $36 $9 $44 $72
Yoga $139 $59 $56 $23 $142 $87
Massage $89 $31 $30 $15 $64 $10
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Telkomsel, XL Axiata
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 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. Tip 5 - 10% in restaurants if service charge is not included in the bill
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now Grab, GoJek
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. South African cuisine has been shaped by a long history of Dutch, Malay, British and Indian settlements, making the food diverse and strong in flavor. There is a strong emphasis on game in all of its different forms, as well as spicy sauces and sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. Balinese foods revolve on the complex flavors from certain ingredients like fresh vegetables, meat, coconut milk, and time-tested spices mixture.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros Satay, nasi goreng, gado-gado, martabak, bubur sumsum
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee 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! Warung for authentic babi guling and bebek betutu, cafes for kopi luwak, street stalls for pisang goreng, nasi campur, and sate lilit
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 255 listings on Happy Cow