Austin vs Budapest vs Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Lisbon vs Rio de Janeiro vs Seoul

Austin 🇺🇸
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Larnaca 🇨🇾
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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Population 926,426 1,768,073 15,520,000 144,900 517,000 6,718,903 9,963,452
Official language(s) English (de facto) Hungarian Turkish Greek Portuguese Portuguese Korean
Level of English Very high High Low High Very high Low Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Galeão International Airport Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November March - June, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, October - December March - May, September, October January - March, December March - May, September - November
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) EUR - Euro (€) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) KRW - South Korean won (₩)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $3484 $1230 $659 $1959 $1984 $1833 $2184
Rent $1650 $499 $354 $678 $965 $1066 $797
Groceries $243 $108 $44 $157 $136 $95 $356
Dining out $396 $202 $81 $261 $271 $210 $211
Cafe $66 $29 $18 $56 $37 $25 $69
Coworking space $331 $120 $49 $209 $164 $130 $222
Mobile internet $40 $9 $3 $35 $24 $7 $40
Public transportation $110 $36 $6 $63 $63 $33 $40
Taxis $73 $27 $6 $42 $27 $14 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $13 $2 $45 $18 $16 $13
Sport and cultural events $54 $24 $11 $28 $29 $55 $39
Museums and sights $11 $7 $15 $8 $24 $26 $6
Nightlife $124 $43 $22 $110 $47 $54 $93
Gym $62 $37 $9 $107 $65 $31 $69
Yoga $139 $48 $23 $105 $65 $40 $112
Massage $89 $26 $15 $54 $50 $32 $75
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Vodafone, Telenor Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Vodafone Tim, Claro, Vivo KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Bolt, Fotaxi BiTaksi nTaxi Uber, FreeNow Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber Uber, Kakao
Tap water Drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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. Magyar cuisine makes extensive use of creams, cheeses and sauces primarily in beef, chicken and pork dishes, mixed with seasonal vegetables, fruits and rich desserts. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. 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 Goulash, Fisherman's soup, Főzelék, Somloi Galuska, Pörkölt and Paprikás, Kürtös Kalács, Hungarian Lecsó, Lángos Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. 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 markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants 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. Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 47 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available 401 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow