Bangkok vs Bucharest vs Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Mexico City

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Larnaca ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 5,680,000 1,830,000 15,520,000 144,900 8,850,000
Official language(s) Thai Romanian Turkish Greek Spanish
Level of English Low High Low High Moderate
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Mexico City International Airport (MEX)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December April - October April - June, September and October March - May, October - December March - May, October, November
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Widely accepted (less with AMEX)
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $1560 $1351 $659 $1959 $1867
Rent $616 $615 $354 $678 $778
Groceries $191 $114 $44 $157 $281
Dining out $168 $165 $81 $261 $182
Cafe $45 $38 $18 $56 $49
Coworking space $127 $133 $49 $209 $159
Mobile internet $23 $7 $3 $35 $25
Public transportation $32 $21 $6 $63 $11
Taxis $19 $9 $6 $42 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $25 $2 $45 $24
Sport and cultural events $46 $29 $11 $28 $81
Museums and sights $21 $29 $15 $8 $20
Nightlife $50 $45 $22 $110 $64
Gym $96 $30 $9 $107 $69
Yoga $98 $59 $23 $105 $65
Massage $11 $31 $15 $54 $51
SIM card options AIS Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Telcel, Movistar
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, cafรฉs and bars 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services
Taxi apps Grab Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi nTaxi Uber
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.. Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Sarmale, mฤƒmฤƒligฤƒ, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbฤƒ de burtฤƒ, covrig, papanasi Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas
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. Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus)
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 279 listings on Happy Cow