Bangkok vs Bucharest vs Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Medellin

Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Larnaca 🇨🇾
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Population 5,680,000 1,830,000 15,520,000 144,900 2,427,000
Official language(s) Thai Romanian Turkish Greek Spanish
Level of English Low High Low High Low
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December April - October April - June, September and October March - May, October - December January - April, December
Currency THB - Thai Baht (฿) RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No No No No No
Average monthly costs $1560 $1351 $659 $1959 $1293
Rent $616 $615 $354 $678 $732
Groceries $191 $114 $44 $157 $87
Dining out $168 $165 $81 $261 $131
Cafe $45 $38 $18 $56 $18
Coworking space $127 $133 $49 $209 $96
Mobile internet $23 $7 $3 $35 $16
Public transportation $32 $21 $6 $63 $21
Taxis $19 $9 $6 $42 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $25 $2 $45 $0
Sport and cultural events $46 $29 $11 $28 $8
Museums and sights $21 $29 $15 $8 $9
Nightlife $50 $45 $22 $110 $73
Gym $96 $30 $9 $107 $15
Yoga $98 $59 $23 $105 $54
Massage $11 $31 $15 $54 $20
SIM card options AIS Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Claro, Tigo
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars Tip 10% in restaurants
Taxi apps Grab Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi nTaxi EasyTaxi
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. 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.. 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 Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias 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. Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 33 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available 153 listings on Happy Cow