Bangkok vs Cape Town vs Lisbon vs Madrid vs Mexico City vs Sofia vs Tbilisi

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Sofia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
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Tbilisi ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช
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Population 5,680,000 4,617,560 517,000 6,578,0179 8,850,000 1,270,169 1,108,700
Official language(s) Thai Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Portuguese Spanish Spanish Bulgarian Georgian
Level of English Low Very high Very high Moderate Moderate High Low
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Sofia International Airport (SOF) Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December March - May, September - November March - May, September, October March - May, September - November March - May, October, November April-June, September-October March - June
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) GEL - Georgian Lari (โ‚พ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $1560 $1549 $1984 $2498 $1867 $1289 $1462
Rent $616 $618 $965 $1174 $778 $567 $752
Groceries $191 $129 $136 $175 $281 $10 $112
Dining out $168 $269 $271 $313 $182 $227 $169
Cafe $45 $32 $37 $51 $49 $27 $45
Coworking space $127 $151 $164 $196 $159 $140 $125
Mobile internet $23 $27 $24 $10 $25 $10 $4
Public transportation $32 $55 $63 $78 $11 $30 $8
Taxis $19 $21 $27 $44 $9 $12 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $49 $18 $49 $24 $40 $27
Sport and cultural events $46 $19 $29 $54 $81 $18 $21
Museums and sights $21 $15 $24 $20 $20 $12 $9
Nightlife $50 $43 $47 $82 $64 $82 $53
Gym $96 $36 $65 $44 $69 $23 $33
Yoga $98 $56 $65 $142 $65 $62 $37
Massage $11 $30 $50 $64 $51 $29 $53
SIM card options AIS MTN, Vodacom Vodafone Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Telcel, Movistar A1, Telenor, Vivacom Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafรฉs.
Taxi apps Grab Uber, Bolt Uber, FreeNow Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now Uber TaxiMe, TaxiStars Yandex, Bolt
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable 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. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese Vegetables and mild spices are often mixed with dairy products to create rich chicken and pork products. Seafood dishes also popular in some regions of the country, making them popular in the capital. Cuisine of the Caucasus meets regional diversity in Georgia. Emphasis on spices and meats (poultry, beef, pork and mutton) as well as soups and creams.
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 Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli
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 Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros! Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 20 options on HappyCow 10 options on Happy Cow