Austin vs Cape Town vs Playa del Carmen vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 4,617,560 259,453 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Very high Very high Moderate Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Galeรฃo International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November March - May, September - November January - May, October - December January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1549 $2143 $1833
Rent $1650 $618 $923 $1066
Groceries $243 $129 $127 $95
Dining out $396 $269 $207 $210
Cafe $66 $32 $42 $25
Coworking space $331 $151 $160 $130
Mobile internet $40 $27 $21 $7
Public transportation $110 $55 $17 $33
Taxis $73 $21 $9 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $49 $49 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $19 $97 $55
Museums and sights $11 $15 $217 $26
Nightlife $124 $43 $77 $54
Gym $62 $36 $42 $31
Yoga $139 $56 $54 $40
Massage $89 $30 $101 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. MTN, Vodacom Telcel, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 10-15% for restaurants 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber, Bolt N/A Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not 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. 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. Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 24 options on HappyCow 72 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow