Austin vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Medellin

Austin 🇺🇸
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Population 926,426 2,900,000 15,520,000 517,000 2,427,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Turkish Portuguese Spanish
Level of English Very high High Low Very high Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November September - December April - June, September and October March - May, September, October January - April, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1321 $659 $1984 $1293
Rent $1650 $844 $354 $965 $732
Groceries $243 $98 $44 $136 $87
Dining out $396 $121 $81 $271 $131
Cafe $66 $25 $18 $37 $18
Coworking space $331 $95 $49 $164 $96
Mobile internet $40 $11 $3 $24 $16
Public transportation $110 $9 $6 $63 $21
Taxis $73 $9 $6 $27 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $14 $2 $18 $0
Sport and cultural events $54 $24 $11 $29 $8
Museums and sights $11 $4 $15 $24 $9
Nightlife $124 $23 $22 $47 $73
Gym $62 $14 $9 $65 $15
Yoga $139 $19 $23 $65 $54
Massage $89 $10 $15 $50 $20
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Claro, Tigo
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi 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 A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish 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 Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à 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 cafés for maté and facturas Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee 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 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow