Austin vs Chiang Mai vs Hanoi vs Panama City vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Hanoi ๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ณ
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Panama City ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 1,166,978 8,053,663 880,691 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Vietnamese Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Very high Low Moderate Low Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Nแป™i Bร i International Airport (HAN) Tocumen International Airport (PTY) Galeรฃo International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November November - April January, February, October - December December - April January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) VND - Vietnamese Dong (โ‚ซ) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in some places. Cash often preferred. Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $974 $1167 $2359 $1833
Rent $1650 $274 $503 $1036 $1066
Groceries $243 $169 $151 $236 $95
Dining out $396 $108 $134 $371 $210
Cafe $66 $45 $39 $43 $25
Coworking space $331 $95 $72 $157 $130
Mobile internet $40 $11 $4 $21 $7
Public transportation $110 $60 $20 $12 $33
Taxis $73 $20 $13 $48 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $10 $0 $0 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $8 $3 $35 $55
Museums and sights $11 $8 $4 $9 $26
Nightlife $124 $62 $89 $117 $54
Gym $62 $41 $57 $37 $31
Yoga $139 $55 $57 $163 $40
Massage $89 $10 $21 $75 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS, DTAC Viettel, Mobifone Claro, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere Not required but appreciated, especially in taxis, restaurants and bars. Round up or add 10%. 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Grab, GoViet Uber, Tu Chofer Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Drinkable Not 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. 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 mix of French, Southeast Asian and Chinese with lots of fresh herbs and spices. Northern Vietnam cuisine includes a lot of fish and noodles. Latin American. Emphasis on rice, beans, coconut, and local fruits and vegetables. Pork and beef are regularly used and influence from the islands gives seafood dishes a prominent spot in Panamanian cuisine. 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 Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Pho, cha ca, Vietnamese coffee, pastries and breads Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameรฑos, tostones, ropa vieja 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 Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Noodle Houses, Bakeries, Coffee and Tea Houses, street food Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks 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 90 options on HappyCow 104 listings on Happy Cow 7 options on HappyCow 54 options on Happy Cow