Bangkok ๐น๐ญ
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Cape Town ๐ฟ๐ฆ
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Istanbul ๐น๐ท
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Larnaca ๐จ๐พ
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Lviv ๐บ๐ฆ
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Medellin ๐จ๐ด
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Rio de Janeiro ๐ง๐ท
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Population | 5,680,000 | 4,617,560 | 15,520,000 | 144,900 | 731,387 | 2,427,000 | 6,718,903 |
Official language(s) | Thai | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Turkish | Greek | Ukrainian | Spanish | Portuguese |
Level of English | Low | Very high | Low | High | Low | Low | Low |
Main airport | Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Larnaca International Airport (LCA) | Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) | Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) | Galeรฃo International Airport |
Most common months to visit | January - March, November, December | March - May, September - November | April - June, September and October | March - May, October - December | May - September | January - April, December | January - March, December |
Currency | THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | TRY - Turkish Lira (โบ) | EUR - Euro (โฌ) | UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โด) | COP - Colombian Peso ($) | BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in some places | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Average monthly costs | $1560 | $1549 | $659 | $1959 | $922 | $1293 | $1833 |
Rent | $616 | $618 | $354 | $678 | $400 | $732 | $1066 |
Groceries | $191 | $129 | $44 | $157 | $91 | $87 | $95 |
Dining out | $168 | $269 | $81 | $261 | $151 | $131 | $210 |
Cafe | $45 | $32 | $18 | $56 | $21 | $18 | $25 |
Coworking space | $127 | $151 | $49 | $209 | $79 | $96 | $130 |
Mobile internet | $23 | $27 | $3 | $35 | $4 | $16 | $7 |
Public transportation | $32 | $55 | $6 | $63 | $5 | $21 | $33 |
Taxis | $19 | $21 | $6 | $42 | $12 | $14 | $14 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $17 | $49 | $2 | $45 | $16 | $0 | $16 |
Sport and cultural events | $46 | $19 | $11 | $28 | $13 | $8 | $55 |
Museums and sights | $21 | $15 | $15 | $8 | $9 | $9 | $26 |
Nightlife | $50 | $43 | $22 | $110 | $43 | $73 | $54 |
Gym | $96 | $36 | $9 | $107 | $22 | $15 | $31 |
Yoga | $98 | $56 | $23 | $105 | $30 | $54 | $40 |
Massage | $11 | $30 | $15 | $54 | $27 | $20 | $32 |
SIM card options | AIS | MTN, Vodacom | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN | Vodafone, Kyivstar | Claro, Tigo | Tim, Claro, Vivo |
Tipping | 10% for restaurants, bars and services | 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars | 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars | 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere | Tip 10% in restaurants | 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common |
Taxi apps | Grab | Uber, Bolt | BiTaksi | nTaxi | Uber, Uklon | EasyTaxi | Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber |
Tap water | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable |
Overall cuisine | Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup | 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 sautรฉed 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.. | Slavic. Emphasis on frilled meats combined with potatoes, carrots, pickles and cabbage. Creamy deserts often elaborated with cottage cheese. Lviv enjoys culinary influences from Kiev (traditional with an emphasis on chicken) and Odessa (various seafood dishes). | A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats | Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. |
Local food specialities | Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan | Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow | Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight | Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka | Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky | Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa | Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. |
Eat like a local | Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants | 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. | Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries | Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food | The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city. |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 416 listings 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 | 9 options on HappyCow | 153 listings on Happy Cow | 54 options on Happy Cow |