Austin vs Budapest vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul

Austin 🇺🇸
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Population 926,426 1,768,073 2,900,000 15,520,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Hungarian Spanish Turkish
Level of English Very high High High Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November March - June, September - November September - December April - June, September and October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places
Remote worker visa No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1230 $1321 $659
Rent $1650 $499 $844 $354
Groceries $243 $108 $98 $44
Dining out $396 $202 $121 $81
Cafe $66 $29 $25 $18
Coworking space $331 $120 $95 $49
Mobile internet $40 $9 $11 $3
Public transportation $110 $36 $9 $6
Taxis $73 $27 $9 $6
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $13 $14 $2
Sport and cultural events $54 $24 $24 $11
Museums and sights $11 $7 $4 $15
Nightlife $124 $43 $23 $22
Gym $62 $37 $14 $9
Yoga $139 $48 $19 $23
Massage $89 $26 $10 $15
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Telenor Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Bolt, Fotaxi Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi
Tap water Drinkable 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. Magyar cuisine makes extensive use of creams, cheeses and sauces primarily in beef, chicken and pork dishes, mixed with seasonal vegetables, fruits and rich desserts. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options 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 Goulash, Fisherman's soup, Főzelék, Somloi Galuska, Pörkölt and Paprikás, Kürtös Kalács, Hungarian Lecsó, Lángos Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 47 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow