Bangkok vs Chiang Mai vs Lisbon vs Playa del Carmen vs Seoul

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 5,680,000 1,166,978 517,000 259,453 9,963,452
Official language(s) Thai Thai Portuguese Spanish Korean
Level of English Low Low Very high Moderate Moderate
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December November - April March - May, September, October January - May, October - December March - May, September - November
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1560 $974 $1984 $2143 $2184
Rent $616 $274 $965 $923 $797
Groceries $191 $169 $136 $127 $356
Dining out $168 $108 $271 $207 $211
Cafe $45 $45 $37 $42 $69
Coworking space $127 $95 $164 $160 $222
Mobile internet $23 $11 $24 $21 $40
Public transportation $32 $60 $63 $17 $40
Taxis $19 $20 $27 $9 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $10 $18 $49 $13
Sport and cultural events $46 $8 $29 $97 $39
Museums and sights $21 $8 $24 $217 $6
Nightlife $50 $62 $47 $77 $93
Gym $96 $41 $65 $42 $69
Yoga $98 $55 $65 $54 $112
Massage $11 $10 $50 $101 $75
SIM card options AIS AIS, DTAC Vodafone Telcel, Movistar KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Grab Grab Uber, FreeNow N/A Uber, Kakao
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables. 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 Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture.
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow