Bangkok vs Istanbul vs Madrid vs Medellin vs Playa del Carmen

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 5,680,000 15,520,000 6,578,0179 2,427,000 259,453
Official language(s) Thai Turkish Spanish Spanish Spanish
Level of English Low Low Moderate Low Moderate
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Istanbul Airport (IST) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December April - June, September and October March - May, September - November January - April, December January - May, October - December
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted in some places Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $1560 $659 $2498 $1293 $2143
Rent $616 $354 $1174 $732 $923
Groceries $191 $44 $175 $87 $127
Dining out $168 $81 $313 $131 $207
Cafe $45 $18 $51 $18 $42
Coworking space $127 $49 $196 $96 $160
Mobile internet $23 $3 $10 $16 $21
Public transportation $32 $6 $78 $21 $17
Taxis $19 $6 $44 $14 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $2 $49 $0 $49
Sport and cultural events $46 $11 $54 $8 $97
Museums and sights $21 $15 $20 $9 $217
Nightlife $50 $22 $82 $73 $77
Gym $96 $9 $44 $15 $42
Yoga $98 $23 $142 $54 $54
Massage $11 $15 $64 $20 $101
SIM card options AIS Turkcell, Turk Telekom Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Claro, Tigo Telcel, Movistar
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. Tip 10% in restaurants 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Grab BiTaksi Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now EasyTaxi N/A
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not 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 Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats 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 Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee 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! Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow