Bangkok vs Barcelona vs Bogota vs Budapest vs Cape Town vs Lisbon vs Mexico City vs Rio de Janeiro

Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Barcelona 🇪🇸
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Bogota 🇨🇴
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Mexico City 🇲🇽
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Population 5,680,000 5,585,556 10,978,360 1,768,073 4,617,560 517,000 8,850,000 6,718,903
Official language(s) Thai Catalan, Spanish Spanish Hungarian Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Portuguese Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Low High Low High Very high Very high Moderate Low
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Galeão International Airport
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December April - June, September - November January - March, December March - June, September - November March - May, September - November March - May, September, October March - May, October, November January - March, December
Currency THB - Thai Baht (฿) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (€) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost evewhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes No No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1560 $2384 $1097 $1230 $1549 $1984 $1867 $1833
Rent $616 $932 $480 $499 $618 $965 $778 $1066
Groceries $191 $121 $82 $108 $129 $136 $281 $95
Dining out $168 $403 $174 $202 $269 $271 $182 $210
Cafe $45 $45 $22 $29 $32 $37 $49 $25
Coworking space $127 $213 $77 $120 $151 $164 $159 $130
Mobile internet $23 $10 $11 $9 $27 $24 $25 $7
Public transportation $32 $127 $23 $36 $55 $63 $11 $33
Taxis $19 $48 $28 $27 $21 $27 $9 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $24 $17 $13 $49 $18 $24 $16
Sport and cultural events $46 $81 $22 $24 $19 $29 $81 $55
Museums and sights $21 $33 $7 $7 $15 $24 $20 $26
Nightlife $50 $112 $46 $43 $43 $47 $64 $54
Gym $96 $81 $15 $37 $36 $65 $69 $31
Yoga $98 $93 $57 $48 $56 $65 $65 $40
Massage $11 $59 $37 $26 $30 $50 $51 $32
SIM card options AIS Vodafone, Movistar Tigo, Movistar, Claro Vodafone, Telenor MTN, Vodacom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 5-10% in restaurants if service is exceptional, not expected elsewhere 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Grab Cabify, FreeNow Uber, Cabify Bolt, Fotaxi Uber, Bolt Uber, FreeNow Uber Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup Catalan cuisine makes extensive use of Mediterranean vegetables, legumes mixed with pork in its many varieties, chicken and fish. Regularly mixes sweet and savory flavors in specific dishes. This cuisine is known for being bold in flavor and striking in color, with a variety of specific regional dishes found the culinary hub that is Barcelona. 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. 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. 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 sautéed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese 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 Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Paella, bombas, esqueixada, pa amb tomáquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua Goulash, Fisherman's soup, Főzelék, Somloi Galuska, Pörkölt and Paprikás, Kürtös Kalács, Hungarian Lecsó, Lángos Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Taverns, tapas bars, local markets, bodegas and street food spots Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menú del día. Community markets and sports bars. Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Markets, food stalls, menú del día (cheap set lunch menus) 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 416 listings on Happy Cow 98 options on HappyCow 104 options on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 24 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow