Austin vs Buenos Aires vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul vs Lviv vs Seoul

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lviv ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 2,900,000 1,166,978 15,520,000 731,387 9,963,452
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Korean
Level of English Very high High Low Low Low Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST) Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November September - December November - April April - June, September and October May - September March - May, September - November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โ‚ด) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1321 $974 $659 $922 $2184
Rent $1650 $844 $274 $354 $400 $797
Groceries $243 $98 $169 $44 $91 $356
Dining out $396 $121 $108 $81 $151 $211
Cafe $66 $25 $45 $18 $21 $69
Coworking space $331 $95 $95 $49 $79 $222
Mobile internet $40 $11 $11 $3 $4 $40
Public transportation $110 $9 $60 $6 $5 $40
Taxis $73 $9 $20 $6 $12 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $14 $10 $2 $16 $13
Sport and cultural events $54 $24 $8 $11 $13 $39
Museums and sights $11 $4 $8 $15 $9 $6
Nightlife $124 $23 $62 $22 $43 $93
Gym $62 $14 $41 $9 $22 $69
Yoga $139 $19 $55 $23 $30 $112
Massage $89 $10 $10 $15 $27 $75
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Movistar, Claro, Personal AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone, Kyivstar 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% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Grab BiTaksi Uber, Uklon Uber, Kakao
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not 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 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. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Slavic. Emphasis on frilled meats combined with potatoes, carrots, pickles and cabbage. Creamy deserts often elaborated with cottage cheese. Lviv enjoys culinary influences from Kiev (traditional with an emphasis on chicken) and Odessa (various seafood dishes). 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 Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky 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 Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 9 options on HappyCow 57 options on Happy Cow