Austin vs Bucharest vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Medellin

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Population 926,426 1,830,000 15,520,000 517,000 2,427,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Romanian Turkish Portuguese Spanish
Level of English Very high High Low Very high Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - October April - June, September and October March - May, September, October January - April, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1351 $659 $1984 $1293
Rent $1650 $615 $354 $965 $732
Groceries $243 $114 $44 $136 $87
Dining out $396 $165 $81 $271 $131
Cafe $66 $38 $18 $37 $18
Coworking space $331 $133 $49 $164 $96
Mobile internet $40 $7 $3 $24 $16
Public transportation $110 $21 $6 $63 $21
Taxis $73 $9 $6 $27 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $25 $2 $18 $0
Sport and cultural events $54 $29 $11 $29 $8
Museums and sights $11 $29 $15 $24 $9
Nightlife $124 $45 $22 $47 $73
Gym $62 $30 $9 $65 $15
Yoga $139 $59 $23 $65 $54
Massage $89 $31 $15 $50 $20
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Claro, Tigo
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 Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi
Tap water 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 fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow