Bangkok vs Istanbul vs Madrid vs Mexico City vs New York City vs Panama City

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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New York City ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Panama City ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Population 5,680,000 15,520,000 6,578,0179 8,850,000 8,323,340 880,691
Official language(s) Thai Turkish Spanish Spanish English (de facto) Spanish
Level of English Low Low Moderate Moderate Very high Low
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Istanbul Airport (IST) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Tocumen International Airport (PTY)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December April - June, September and October March - May, September - November March - May, October, November April - June, September - November December - April
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) USD - US Dollar ($) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops.
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $1560 $659 $2498 $1867 $5431 $2359
Rent $616 $354 $1174 $778 $2891 $1036
Groceries $191 $44 $175 $281 $383 $236
Dining out $168 $81 $313 $182 $656 $371
Cafe $45 $18 $51 $49 $72 $43
Coworking space $127 $49 $196 $159 $326 $157
Mobile internet $23 $3 $10 $25 $45 $21
Public transportation $32 $6 $78 $11 $220 $12
Taxis $19 $6 $44 $9 $78 $48
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $2 $49 $24 $30 $0
Sport and cultural events $46 $11 $54 $81 $100 $35
Museums and sights $21 $15 $20 $20 $74 $9
Nightlife $50 $22 $82 $64 $195 $117
Gym $96 $9 $44 $69 $55 $37
Yoga $98 $23 $142 $65 $197 $163
Massage $11 $15 $64 $51 $109 $75
SIM card options AIS Turkcell, Turk Telekom Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Telcel, Movistar AT&T, Verizon Claro, 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. 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere
Taxi apps Grab BiTaksi Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now Uber Uber, Lyft Uber, Tu Chofer
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable 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 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 American. Emphasis on comfort and fast food, with some good seafood dishes. Influence from other regions of the US, North America and the world make NYC a cosmopolitan and international cuisine hub that is incredibly diverse. Latin American. Emphasis on rice, beans, coconut, and local fruits and vegetables. Pork and beef are regularly used and influence from the islands gives seafood dishes a prominent spot in Panamanian cuisine.
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 Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Pizza, clam chowder, bagels, corned beef, pastrami, cheesecake, hot dogs, and hundred of other international food options. Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameรฑos, tostones, ropa vieja
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! Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Delis, local pizza shops, street food stalls and food trucks, food markets, local bakeries and smaller, authentic international cuisine restaurants Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 309 options on HappyCow 7 options on HappyCow