Bangkok vs Budapest vs Istanbul vs Madrid vs Playa del Carmen

Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Budapest 🇭🇺
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Madrid 🇪🇸
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Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽
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Population 5,680,000 1,768,073 15,520,000 6,578,0179 259,453
Official language(s) Thai Hungarian Turkish Spanish Spanish
Level of English Low High Low Moderate Moderate
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Budapest Ferihegy International Airport (BUD) Istanbul Airport (IST) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) 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 - November 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 everywhere Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $1560 $1230 $659 $2498 $2143
Rent $616 $499 $354 $1174 $923
Groceries $191 $108 $44 $175 $127
Dining out $168 $202 $81 $313 $207
Cafe $45 $29 $18 $51 $42
Coworking space $127 $120 $49 $196 $160
Mobile internet $23 $9 $3 $10 $21
Public transportation $32 $36 $6 $78 $17
Taxis $19 $27 $6 $44 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $13 $2 $49 $49
Sport and cultural events $46 $24 $11 $54 $97
Museums and sights $21 $7 $15 $20 $217
Nightlife $50 $43 $22 $82 $77
Gym $96 $37 $9 $44 $42
Yoga $98 $48 $23 $142 $54
Massage $11 $26 $15 $64 $101
SIM card options AIS Vodafone, Telenor Turkcell, Turk Telekom Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Telcel, Movistar
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10 - 15% at restaurants and bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Grab Bolt, Fotaxi BiTaksi Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now 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, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. 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 Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileña, churros 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 Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros! 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 85 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow