Bangkok ๐น๐ญ
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Barbados ๐ง๐ง
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Bogota ๐จ๐ด
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Istanbul ๐น๐ท
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Larnaca ๐จ๐พ
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Madrid ๐ช๐ธ
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Population | 5,680,000 | 110,000 | 10,978,360 | 15,520,000 | 144,900 | 6,578,0179 |
Official language(s) | Thai | English, Bajan Creole | Spanish | Turkish | Greek | Spanish |
Level of English | Low | Very high | Low | Low | High | Moderate |
Main airport | Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) | Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) | El Dorado International Airport (BOG) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Larnaca International Airport (LCA) | Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) |
Most common months to visit | January - March, November, December | November - May | January - March, December | April - June, September and October | March - May, October - December | March - May, September - November |
Currency | THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) | BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) | COP - Colombian Peso ($) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses | Accepted everywhere | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $1560 | $2702 | $1097 | $659 | $1959 | $2498 |
Rent | $616 | $1054 | $480 | $354 | $678 | $1174 |
Groceries | $191 | $234 | $82 | $44 | $157 | $175 |
Dining out | $168 | $345 | $174 | $81 | $261 | $313 |
Cafe | $45 | $75 | $22 | $18 | $56 | $51 |
Coworking space | $127 | $321 | $77 | $49 | $209 | $196 |
Mobile internet | $23 | $49 | $11 | $3 | $35 | $10 |
Public transportation | $32 | $35 | $23 | $6 | $63 | $78 |
Taxis | $19 | $106 | $28 | $6 | $42 | $44 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $17 | $0 | $17 | $2 | $45 | $49 |
Sport and cultural events | $46 | $37 | $22 | $11 | $28 | $54 |
Museums and sights | $21 | $36 | $7 | $15 | $8 | $20 |
Nightlife | $50 | $96 | $46 | $22 | $110 | $82 |
Gym | $96 | $86 | $15 | $9 | $107 | $44 |
Yoga | $98 | $130 | $57 | $23 | $105 | $142 |
Massage | $11 | $99 | $37 | $15 | $54 | $64 |
SIM card options | AIS | Digicel | Tigo, Movistar, Claro | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN | Orange, Movistar, Vodafone |
Tipping | 10% for restaurants, bars and services | 10 - 15% usually included in restaurants, add 10 - 15% at bars | 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars | 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars | Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. |
Taxi apps | Grab | None available | Uber, Cabify | BiTaksi | nTaxi | Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now |
Tap water | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable |
Overall cuisine | Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup | Bajan cuisine features an eclectic mix of European, Asian, and Caribbean styles resulting in bold, tasty and crunchy meat or fish dishes with lots of spices, lime juice, thyme and salads laden with local vegetables and hot side dishes. | Latin American. Dishes with beef, pork and chicken are often mixed with flour-based foods and fruity desserts. Heavy influence from the Andes and other Colombian regions. | 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, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. |
Local food specialities | Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan | Cou-cou and flying fish, fish cakes, cutters, pudding and souse, macaroni pie, conkies, Bajan black cake, sea eggs | Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buรฑuelos, patacones, tรฉ de coca, changua | Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight | Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka | Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros |
Eat like a local | Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants | Food trucks, pubs, seaside street food, roadside carts, local seafood restaurants, smaller traditional restaurants and rum shops | Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menรบ del dรญa. Community markets and sports bars. | 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. | 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! |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 416 listings on Happy Cow | 14 options on HappyCow | 104 options on Happy Cow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available | 85 listings on Happy Cow |