Austin vs Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Lisbon vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Larnaca ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 15,520,000 144,900 517,000 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Turkish Greek Portuguese Portuguese
Level of English Very high Low High Very high Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Galeรฃo International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, October - December March - May, September, October January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $659 $1959 $1984 $1833
Rent $1650 $354 $678 $965 $1066
Groceries $243 $44 $157 $136 $95
Dining out $396 $81 $261 $271 $210
Cafe $66 $18 $56 $37 $25
Coworking space $331 $49 $209 $164 $130
Mobile internet $40 $3 $35 $24 $7
Public transportation $110 $6 $63 $63 $33
Taxis $73 $6 $42 $27 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $2 $45 $18 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $11 $28 $29 $55
Museums and sights $11 $15 $8 $24 $26
Nightlife $124 $22 $110 $47 $54
Gym $62 $9 $107 $65 $31
Yoga $139 $23 $105 $65 $40
Massage $89 $15 $54 $50 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Vodafone Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs 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
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft BiTaksi nTaxi Uber, FreeNow Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
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. 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.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana 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 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.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 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