Austin vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Lisbon vs Medellin

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Population 926,426 2,900,000 4,617,560 517,000 2,427,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Portuguese Spanish
Level of English Very high High Very high Very high Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November September - December March - May, September - November March - May, September, October January - April, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) COP - Colombian Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1321 $1549 $1984 $1293
Rent $1650 $844 $618 $965 $732
Groceries $243 $98 $129 $136 $87
Dining out $396 $121 $269 $271 $131
Cafe $66 $25 $32 $37 $18
Coworking space $331 $95 $151 $164 $96
Mobile internet $40 $11 $27 $24 $16
Public transportation $110 $9 $55 $63 $21
Taxis $73 $9 $21 $27 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $14 $49 $18 $0
Sport and cultural events $54 $24 $19 $29 $8
Museums and sights $11 $4 $15 $24 $9
Nightlife $124 $23 $43 $47 $73
Gym $62 $14 $36 $65 $15
Yoga $139 $19 $56 $65 $54
Massage $89 $10 $30 $50 $20
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Vodafone Claro, Tigo
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt 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. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options 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. 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 Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  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 Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets 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 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow