Austin vs Bangkok vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lisbon

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 517,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese
Level of English Very high Low Very high Low Very high
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX)
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $1549 $659 $1984
Rent $1650 $616 $618 $354 $965
Groceries $243 $191 $129 $44 $136
Dining out $396 $168 $269 $81 $271
Cafe $66 $45 $32 $18 $37
Coworking space $331 $127 $151 $49 $164
Mobile internet $40 $23 $27 $3 $24
Public transportation $110 $32 $55 $6 $63
Taxis $73 $19 $21 $6 $27
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $49 $2 $18
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $19 $11 $29
Museums and sights $11 $21 $15 $15 $24
Nightlife $124 $50 $43 $22 $47
Gym $62 $96 $36 $9 $65
Yoga $139 $98 $56 $23 $65
Massage $89 $11 $30 $15 $50
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow
Tap water 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. Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup 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. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 416 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow