Austin vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Lisbon vs Seoul

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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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 2,900,000 4,617,560 517,000 9,963,452
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Portuguese Korean
Level of English Very high High Very high Very high Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November September - December March - May, September - November March - May, September, October March - May, September - November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
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 everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1321 $1549 $1984 $2184
Rent $1650 $844 $618 $965 $797
Groceries $243 $98 $129 $136 $356
Dining out $396 $121 $269 $271 $211
Cafe $66 $25 $32 $37 $69
Coworking space $331 $95 $151 $164 $222
Mobile internet $40 $11 $27 $24 $40
Public transportation $110 $9 $55 $63 $40
Taxis $73 $9 $21 $27 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $14 $49 $18 $13
Sport and cultural events $54 $24 $19 $29 $39
Museums and sights $11 $4 $15 $24 $6
Nightlife $124 $23 $43 $47 $93
Gym $62 $14 $36 $65 $69
Yoga $139 $19 $56 $65 $112
Massage $89 $10 $30 $50 $75
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Vodafone KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
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 Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt Uber, FreeNow Uber, Kakao
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable 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 Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture.
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 Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
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 Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow