Austin vs Budapest vs Chiang Mai vs Panama City vs Playa del Carmen vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin 🇺🇸
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Chiang Mai 🇹🇭
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Panama City 🇵🇦
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Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Population 926,426 1,768,073 1,166,978 880,691 259,453 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Hungarian Thai Spanish Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Very high High Low Low Moderate Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Tocumen International Airport (PTY) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Galeão International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November March - June, September - November November - April December - April January - May, October - December January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) THB - Thai Baht (฿) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1230 $974 $2359 $2143 $1833
Rent $1650 $499 $274 $1036 $923 $1066
Groceries $243 $108 $169 $236 $127 $95
Dining out $396 $202 $108 $371 $207 $210
Cafe $66 $29 $45 $43 $42 $25
Coworking space $331 $120 $95 $157 $160 $130
Mobile internet $40 $9 $11 $21 $21 $7
Public transportation $110 $36 $60 $12 $17 $33
Taxis $73 $27 $20 $48 $9 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $13 $10 $0 $49 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $24 $8 $35 $97 $55
Museums and sights $11 $7 $8 $9 $217 $26
Nightlife $124 $43 $62 $117 $77 $54
Gym $62 $37 $41 $37 $42 $31
Yoga $139 $48 $55 $163 $54 $40
Massage $89 $26 $10 $75 $101 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Telenor AIS, DTAC Claro, Movistar Telcel, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere 10-15% for restaurants 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Bolt, Fotaxi Grab Uber, Tu Chofer N/A Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Drinkable Drinkable Not 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. 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. 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. Latin American. Emphasis on rice, beans, coconut, and local fruits and vegetables. Pork and beef are regularly used and influence from the islands gives seafood dishes a prominent spot in Panamanian cuisine. Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common.
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 Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameños, tostones, ropa vieja Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 47 options on HappyCow 90 options on HappyCow 7 options on HappyCow 72 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow