Bangkok vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Playa del Carmen

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 5,680,000 2,900,000 4,617,560 259,453
Official language(s) Thai Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Spanish
Level of English Low High Very high Moderate
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December September - December March - May, September - November January - May, October - December
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $1560 $1321 $1549 $2143
Rent $616 $844 $618 $923
Groceries $191 $98 $129 $127
Dining out $168 $121 $269 $207
Cafe $45 $25 $32 $42
Coworking space $127 $95 $151 $160
Mobile internet $23 $11 $27 $21
Public transportation $32 $9 $55 $17
Taxis $19 $9 $21 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $14 $49 $49
Sport and cultural events $46 $24 $19 $97
Museums and sights $21 $4 $15 $217
Nightlife $50 $23 $43 $77
Gym $96 $14 $36 $42
Yoga $98 $19 $56 $54
Massage $11 $10 $30 $101
SIM card options AIS Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Telcel, Movistar
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Grab Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt N/A
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options 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. Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 72 listings on Happy Cow