Bangkok vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Playa del Carmen vs Rio de Janeiro

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Larnaca ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 5,680,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 144,900 259,453 6,718,903
Official language(s) Thai Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Greek Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Low Very high Low High Moderate Low
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Cancun International Airport (CUN) 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 January - May, October - December January - March, December
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican 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 everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $1560 $1549 $659 $1959 $2143 $1833
Rent $616 $618 $354 $678 $923 $1066
Groceries $191 $129 $44 $157 $127 $95
Dining out $168 $269 $81 $261 $207 $210
Cafe $45 $32 $18 $56 $42 $25
Coworking space $127 $151 $49 $209 $160 $130
Mobile internet $23 $27 $3 $35 $21 $7
Public transportation $32 $55 $6 $63 $17 $33
Taxis $19 $21 $6 $42 $9 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $49 $2 $45 $49 $16
Sport and cultural events $46 $19 $11 $28 $97 $55
Museums and sights $21 $15 $15 $8 $217 $26
Nightlife $50 $43 $22 $110 $77 $54
Gym $96 $36 $9 $107 $42 $31
Yoga $98 $56 $23 $105 $54 $40
Massage $11 $30 $15 $54 $101 $32
SIM card options AIS MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Telcel, Movistar 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 10-15% for restaurants 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Grab Uber, Bolt BiTaksi nTaxi N/A Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water 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.. Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices 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 Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole 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. Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's 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 72 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow