Bangkok vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Lisbon

Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Larnaca 🇨🇾
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Population 5,680,000 2,900,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 144,900 517,000
Official language(s) Thai Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Greek Portuguese
Level of English Low High Very high Low High Very high
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December September - December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, October - December March - May, September, October
Currency THB - Thai Baht (฿) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) EUR - Euro (€)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX)
Remote worker visa No No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $1560 $1321 $1549 $659 $1959 $1984
Rent $616 $844 $618 $354 $678 $965
Groceries $191 $98 $129 $44 $157 $136
Dining out $168 $121 $269 $81 $261 $271
Cafe $45 $25 $32 $18 $56 $37
Coworking space $127 $95 $151 $49 $209 $164
Mobile internet $23 $11 $27 $3 $35 $24
Public transportation $32 $9 $55 $6 $63 $63
Taxis $19 $9 $21 $6 $42 $27
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $14 $49 $2 $45 $18
Sport and cultural events $46 $24 $19 $11 $28 $29
Museums and sights $21 $4 $15 $15 $8 $24
Nightlife $50 $23 $43 $22 $110 $47
Gym $96 $14 $36 $9 $107 $65
Yoga $98 $19 $56 $23 $105 $65
Massage $11 $10 $30 $15 $54 $50
SIM card options AIS Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Vodafone
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Grab Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt BiTaksi nTaxi Uber, FreeNow
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options South African cuisine has been shaped by a long history of Dutch, Malay, British and Indian settlements, making the food diverse and strong in flavor. There is a strong emphasis on game in all of its different forms, as well as spicy sauces and sautéed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. 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.. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets 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. Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available 401 listings on Happy Cow