Bangkok vs Barcelona vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Medellin

Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Barcelona 🇪🇸
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Population 5,680,000 5,585,556 15,520,000 517,000 2,427,000
Official language(s) Thai Catalan, Spanish Turkish Portuguese Spanish
Level of English Low High Low Very high Low
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December April - June, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October January - April, December
Currency THB - Thai Baht (฿) EUR - Euro (€) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost evewhere Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No Yes No Yes No
Average monthly costs $1560 $2384 $659 $1984 $1293
Rent $616 $932 $354 $965 $732
Groceries $191 $121 $44 $136 $87
Dining out $168 $403 $81 $271 $131
Cafe $45 $45 $18 $37 $18
Coworking space $127 $213 $49 $164 $96
Mobile internet $23 $10 $3 $24 $16
Public transportation $32 $127 $6 $63 $21
Taxis $19 $48 $6 $27 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $24 $2 $18 $0
Sport and cultural events $46 $81 $11 $29 $8
Museums and sights $21 $33 $15 $24 $9
Nightlife $50 $112 $22 $47 $73
Gym $96 $81 $9 $65 $15
Yoga $98 $93 $23 $65 $54
Massage $11 $59 $15 $50 $20
SIM card options AIS Vodafone, Movistar Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Claro, Tigo
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 5-10% in restaurants if service is exceptional, not expected elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants
Taxi apps Grab Cabify, FreeNow BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable 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. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Paella, bombas, esqueixada, pa amb tomáquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Taverns, tapas bars, local markets, bodegas and street food spots Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 98 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow