Bangkok vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Medellin vs Porto

Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Porto 🇵🇹
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Population 5,680,000 2,900,000 15,520,000 2,427,000 237,559
Official language(s) Thai Spanish Turkish Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Low High Low Low Very High
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) Francisco Sá Carneiro International Airport (OPO)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December September - December April - June, September and October January - April, December May - September
Currency THB - Thai Baht (฿) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) COP - Colombian Peso ($) EUR - Euro (€)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Accepted in some places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $1560 $1321 $659 $1293 $1759
Rent $616 $844 $354 $732 $717
Groceries $191 $98 $44 $87 $148
Dining out $168 $121 $81 $131 $280
Cafe $45 $25 $18 $18 $45
Coworking space $127 $95 $49 $96 $96
Mobile internet $23 $11 $3 $16 $21
Public transportation $32 $9 $6 $21 $95
Taxis $19 $9 $6 $14 $25
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $14 $2 $0 $10
Sport and cultural events $46 $24 $11 $8 $45
Museums and sights $21 $4 $15 $9 $24
Nightlife $50 $23 $22 $73 $66
Gym $96 $14 $9 $15 $56
Yoga $98 $19 $23 $54 $82
Massage $11 $10 $15 $20 $48
SIM card options AIS Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom Claro, Tigo Vodafone, MEO, NOS
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars Tip 10% in restaurants 5-10% at restaurants if happy with service, not expected at cafes or bars
Taxi apps Grab Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi EasyTaxi Uber, MyTaxi, Cabify
Tap water 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 A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats A variety of meats often mixed with fresh legumes and vegetables. Emphasis on rich seafood dishes and creamy desserts.
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Bacalhau, Alheira de Mirandela, Francesinha, queido da serra da estrela, tripas a moda do Oporto, pasteis de chaves, tarte de amendoa
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 Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Local taverns, terraces, markets, tascas, churrascarias and local sports bars
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 46 options on Happy Cow