Bangkok vs Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Lisbon vs Medellin

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Larnaca ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Population 5,680,000 15,520,000 144,900 517,000 2,427,000
Official language(s) Thai Turkish Greek Portuguese Spanish
Level of English Low Low High Very high Low
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December April - June, September and October March - May, October - December March - May, September, October January - April, December
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) COP - Colombian Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $1560 $659 $1959 $1984 $1293
Rent $616 $354 $678 $965 $732
Groceries $191 $44 $157 $136 $87
Dining out $168 $81 $261 $271 $131
Cafe $45 $18 $56 $37 $18
Coworking space $127 $49 $209 $164 $96
Mobile internet $23 $3 $35 $24 $16
Public transportation $32 $6 $63 $63 $21
Taxis $19 $6 $42 $27 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $2 $45 $18 $0
Sport and cultural events $46 $11 $28 $29 $8
Museums and sights $21 $15 $8 $24 $9
Nightlife $50 $22 $110 $47 $73
Gym $96 $9 $107 $65 $15
Yoga $98 $23 $105 $65 $54
Massage $11 $15 $54 $50 $20
SIM card options AIS Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Vodafone Claro, Tigo
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 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants
Taxi apps Grab BiTaksi nTaxi Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi
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 seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats
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 Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa
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. Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food
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 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow