Bangkok vs Bogota vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Mexico City vs Rio de Janeiro

Bangkok 🇹🇭
Remove
Bogota 🇨🇴
Remove
Cape Town 🇿🇦
Remove
Istanbul 🇹🇷
Remove
Lisbon 🇵🇹
Remove
Mexico City 🇲🇽
Remove
Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
Remove
Population 5,680,000 10,978,360 4,617,560 15,520,000 517,000 8,850,000 6,718,903
Official language(s) Thai Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Low Low Very high Low Very high Moderate Low
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Galeão International Airport
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December January - March, December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, October, November January - March, December
Currency THB - Thai Baht (฿) COP - Colombian Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1560 $1097 $1549 $659 $1984 $1867 $1833
Rent $616 $480 $618 $354 $965 $778 $1066
Groceries $191 $82 $129 $44 $136 $281 $95
Dining out $168 $174 $269 $81 $271 $182 $210
Cafe $45 $22 $32 $18 $37 $49 $25
Coworking space $127 $77 $151 $49 $164 $159 $130
Mobile internet $23 $11 $27 $3 $24 $25 $7
Public transportation $32 $23 $55 $6 $63 $11 $33
Taxis $19 $28 $21 $6 $27 $9 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $17 $49 $2 $18 $24 $16
Sport and cultural events $46 $22 $19 $11 $29 $81 $55
Museums and sights $21 $7 $15 $15 $24 $20 $26
Nightlife $50 $46 $43 $22 $47 $64 $54
Gym $96 $15 $36 $9 $65 $69 $31
Yoga $98 $57 $56 $23 $65 $65 $40
Massage $11 $37 $30 $15 $50 $51 $32
SIM card options AIS Tigo, Movistar, Claro MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 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 Uber, Cabify Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup 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. 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 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 Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight 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 Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menú del día. Community markets and sports bars. 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 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 104 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow