Bangkok vs Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Madrid vs Mexico City

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Larnaca ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 5,680,000 15,520,000 144,900 6,578,0179 8,850,000
Official language(s) Thai Turkish Greek Spanish Spanish
Level of English Low Low High Moderate Moderate
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Mexico City International Airport (MEX)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December April - June, September and October March - May, October - December March - May, September - November March - May, October, November
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere Widely accepted (less with AMEX)
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $1560 $659 $1959 $2498 $1867
Rent $616 $354 $678 $1174 $778
Groceries $191 $44 $157 $175 $281
Dining out $168 $81 $261 $313 $182
Cafe $45 $18 $56 $51 $49
Coworking space $127 $49 $209 $196 $159
Mobile internet $23 $3 $35 $10 $25
Public transportation $32 $6 $63 $78 $11
Taxis $19 $6 $42 $44 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $2 $45 $49 $24
Sport and cultural events $46 $11 $28 $54 $81
Museums and sights $21 $15 $8 $20 $20
Nightlife $50 $22 $110 $82 $64
Gym $96 $9 $107 $44 $69
Yoga $98 $23 $105 $142 $65
Massage $11 $15 $54 $64 $51
SIM card options AIS Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Telcel, Movistar
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services
Taxi apps Grab BiTaksi nTaxi Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now Uber
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup 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.. 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
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants 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. 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)
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available 85 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow