Bangkok vs Barcelona vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lisbon

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Barcelona ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Population 5,680,000 5,585,556 4,617,560 15,520,000 517,000
Official language(s) Thai Catalan, Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese
Level of English Low High Very high Low Very high
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December April - June, September - November March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost evewhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX)
Remote worker visa No Yes No No Yes
Average monthly costs $1560 $2384 $1549 $659 $1984
Rent $616 $932 $618 $354 $965
Groceries $191 $121 $129 $44 $136
Dining out $168 $403 $269 $81 $271
Cafe $45 $45 $32 $18 $37
Coworking space $127 $213 $151 $49 $164
Mobile internet $23 $10 $27 $3 $24
Public transportation $32 $127 $55 $6 $63
Taxis $19 $48 $21 $6 $27
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $24 $49 $2 $18
Sport and cultural events $46 $81 $19 $11 $29
Museums and sights $21 $33 $15 $15 $24
Nightlife $50 $112 $43 $22 $47
Gym $96 $81 $36 $9 $65
Yoga $98 $93 $56 $23 $65
Massage $11 $59 $30 $15 $50
SIM card options AIS Vodafone, Movistar MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 5-10% in restaurants if service is exceptional, not expected elsewhere 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Grab Cabify, FreeNow Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup Catalan cuisine makes extensive use of Mediterranean vegetables, legumes mixed with pork in its many varieties, chicken and fish. Regularly mixes sweet and savory flavors in specific dishes. This cuisine is known for being bold in flavor and striking in color, with a variety of specific regional dishes found the culinary hub that is Barcelona. 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 Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Paella, bombas, esqueixada, pa amb tomรกquet, escalivada, crema Catalana, gazpacho, chorizo Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Taverns, tapas bars, local markets, bodegas and street food spots 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 Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 98 options on HappyCow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow