Austin vs Bangkok vs Budapest vs Istanbul vs Lisbon

Austin 🇺🇸
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Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 1,768,073 15,520,000 517,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Hungarian Turkish Portuguese
Level of English Very high Low High Low Very high
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December March - June, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (฿) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX)
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $1230 $659 $1984
Rent $1650 $616 $499 $354 $965
Groceries $243 $191 $108 $44 $136
Dining out $396 $168 $202 $81 $271
Cafe $66 $45 $29 $18 $37
Coworking space $331 $127 $120 $49 $164
Mobile internet $40 $23 $9 $3 $24
Public transportation $110 $32 $36 $6 $63
Taxis $73 $19 $27 $6 $27
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $13 $2 $18
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $24 $11 $29
Museums and sights $11 $21 $7 $15 $24
Nightlife $124 $50 $43 $22 $47
Gym $62 $96 $37 $9 $65
Yoga $139 $98 $48 $23 $65
Massage $89 $11 $26 $15 $50
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Vodafone, Telenor Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Bolt, Fotaxi BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup Magyar cuisine makes extensive use of creams, cheeses and sauces primarily in beef, chicken and pork dishes, mixed with seasonal vegetables, fruits and rich desserts. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Goulash, Fisherman's soup, Főzelék, Somloi Galuska, Pörkölt and Paprikás, Kürtös Kalács, Hungarian Lecsó, Lángos Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Local markets, cafés, taverns, street food, traditional restaurants Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 416 listings on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow