Austin ๐บ๐ธ
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Cape Town ๐ฟ๐ฆ
|
Madrid ๐ช๐ธ
|
Rio de Janeiro ๐ง๐ท
|
Ubud ๐ฎ๐ฉ
|
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Population | 926,426 | 4,617,560 | 6,578,0179 | 6,718,903 | 112,490 |
Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Spanish | Portuguese | Indonesian and Balinese |
Level of English | Very high | Very high | Moderate | Low | Low |
Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) | Galeรฃo International Airport | Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPA) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | March - May, September - November | March - May, September - November | January - March, December | May - October |
Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) | IDR - Indonesian Rupiah (Rp) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted in some places |
Remote worker visa | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1549 | $2498 | $1833 | $1363 |
Rent | $1650 | $618 | $1174 | $1066 | $658 |
Groceries | $243 | $129 | $175 | $95 | $150 |
Dining out | $396 | $269 | $313 | $210 | $10 |
Cafe | $66 | $32 | $51 | $25 | $28 |
Coworking space | $331 | $151 | $196 | $130 | $106 |
Mobile internet | $40 | $27 | $10 | $7 | $3 |
Public transportation | $110 | $55 | $78 | $33 | $53 |
Taxis | $73 | $21 | $44 | $14 | $13 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $49 | $49 | $16 | $33 |
Sport and cultural events | $54 | $19 | $54 | $55 | $14 |
Museums and sights | $11 | $15 | $20 | $26 | $9 |
Nightlife | $124 | $43 | $82 | $54 | $118 |
Gym | $62 | $36 | $44 | $31 | $72 |
Yoga | $139 | $56 | $142 | $40 | $87 |
Massage | $89 | $30 | $64 | $32 | $10 |
SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | MTN, Vodacom | Orange, Movistar, Vodafone | Tim, Claro, Vivo | Telkomsel, XL Axiata |
Tipping | 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars | 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere | Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. | 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common | Tip 5 - 10% in restaurants if service charge is not included in the bill |
Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Uber, Bolt | Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now | Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber | Grab, GoJek |
Tap water | Drinkable | Not drinkable | 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. | Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. | Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. | Balinese foods revolve on the complex flavors from certain ingredients like fresh vegetables, meat, coconut milk, and time-tested spices mixture. |
Local food specialities | Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos | Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow | Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros | Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. | Satay, nasi goreng, gado-gado, martabak, bubur sumsum |
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 | Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros! | 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. | Warung for authentic babi guling and bebek betutu, cafes for kopi luwak, street stalls for pisang goreng, nasi campur, and sate lilit |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 24 options on HappyCow | 85 listings on Happy Cow | 54 options on Happy Cow | 255 listings on Happy Cow |