Bangkok vs Barcelona vs Bucharest vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Rio de Janeiro vs Seoul

Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Barcelona 🇪🇸
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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Population 5,680,000 5,585,556 1,830,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 6,718,903 9,963,452
Official language(s) Thai Catalan, Spanish Romanian Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese Korean
Level of English Low High High Very high Low Low Moderate
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Galeão International Airport Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December April - June, September - November April - October March - May, September - November April - June, September and October January - March, December March - May, September - November
Currency THB - Thai Baht (฿) EUR - Euro (€) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) KRW - South Korean won (₩)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost evewhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes No No No No No
Average monthly costs $1560 $2384 $1351 $1549 $659 $1833 $2184
Rent $616 $932 $615 $618 $354 $1066 $797
Groceries $191 $121 $114 $129 $44 $95 $356
Dining out $168 $403 $165 $269 $81 $210 $211
Cafe $45 $45 $38 $32 $18 $25 $69
Coworking space $127 $213 $133 $151 $49 $130 $222
Mobile internet $23 $10 $7 $27 $3 $7 $40
Public transportation $32 $127 $21 $55 $6 $33 $40
Taxis $19 $48 $9 $21 $6 $14 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $24 $25 $49 $2 $16 $13
Sport and cultural events $46 $81 $29 $19 $11 $55 $39
Museums and sights $21 $33 $29 $15 $15 $26 $6
Nightlife $50 $112 $45 $43 $22 $54 $93
Gym $96 $81 $30 $36 $9 $31 $69
Yoga $98 $93 $59 $56 $23 $40 $112
Massage $11 $59 $31 $30 $15 $32 $75
SIM card options AIS Vodafone, Movistar Vodafone, Orange MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Tim, Claro, Vivo KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 5-10% in restaurants if service is exceptional, not expected elsewhere 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Grab Cabify, FreeNow Star Taxi, Uber Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber Uber, Kakao
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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. Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. 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. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish 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 Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Paella, bombas, esqueixada, pa amb tomáquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight 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 Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Taverns, tapas bars, local markets, bodegas and street food spots Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee 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 416 listings on Happy Cow 98 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow