Bangkok vs Budapest vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Playa del Carmen

Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽
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Population 5,680,000 1,768,073 15,520,000 517,000 259,453
Official language(s) Thai Hungarian Turkish Portuguese Spanish
Level of English Low High Low Very high Moderate
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December March - June, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October January - May, October - December
Currency THB - Thai Baht (฿) HUF - Hungarian Forint (Ft) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, cash needed for small shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $1560 $1230 $659 $1984 $2143
Rent $616 $499 $354 $965 $923
Groceries $191 $108 $44 $136 $127
Dining out $168 $202 $81 $271 $207
Cafe $45 $29 $18 $37 $42
Coworking space $127 $120 $49 $164 $160
Mobile internet $23 $9 $3 $24 $21
Public transportation $32 $36 $6 $63 $17
Taxis $19 $27 $6 $27 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $13 $2 $18 $49
Sport and cultural events $46 $24 $11 $29 $97
Museums and sights $21 $7 $15 $24 $217
Nightlife $50 $43 $22 $47 $77
Gym $96 $37 $9 $65 $42
Yoga $98 $48 $23 $65 $54
Massage $11 $26 $15 $50 $101
SIM card options AIS Vodafone, Telenor Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar
Tipping 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 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Grab Bolt, Fotaxi BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow N/A
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine 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 Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices
Local food specialities 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 Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
Eat like a local 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 Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 47 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow