Bangkok vs Cape Town vs Lisbon vs Playa del Carmen

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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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 5,680,000 4,617,560 517,000 259,453
Official language(s) Thai Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Portuguese Spanish
Level of English Low Very high Very high Moderate
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December March - May, September - November March - May, September, October January - May, October - December
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $1560 $1549 $1984 $2143
Rent $616 $618 $965 $923
Groceries $191 $129 $136 $127
Dining out $168 $269 $271 $207
Cafe $45 $32 $37 $42
Coworking space $127 $151 $164 $160
Mobile internet $23 $27 $24 $21
Public transportation $32 $55 $63 $17
Taxis $19 $21 $27 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $49 $18 $49
Sport and cultural events $46 $19 $29 $97
Museums and sights $21 $15 $24 $217
Nightlife $50 $43 $47 $77
Gym $96 $36 $65 $42
Yoga $98 $56 $65 $54
Massage $11 $30 $50 $101
SIM card options AIS MTN, Vodacom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Grab Uber, Bolt Uber, FreeNow N/A
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable 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 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 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 Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
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 Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow