Bangkok vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Madrid vs New York City vs Rio de Janeiro vs Seoul

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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New York City ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 5,680,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 6,578,0179 8,323,340 6,718,903 9,963,452
Official language(s) Thai Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Spanish English (de facto) Portuguese Korean
Level of English Low Very high Low Moderate Very high Low Moderate
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Galeรฃo International Airport Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September - November April - June, September - November January - March, December March - May, September - November
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) USD - US Dollar ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No No No
Average monthly costs $1560 $1549 $659 $2498 $5431 $1833 $2184
Rent $616 $618 $354 $1174 $2891 $1066 $797
Groceries $191 $129 $44 $175 $383 $95 $356
Dining out $168 $269 $81 $313 $656 $210 $211
Cafe $45 $32 $18 $51 $72 $25 $69
Coworking space $127 $151 $49 $196 $326 $130 $222
Mobile internet $23 $27 $3 $10 $45 $7 $40
Public transportation $32 $55 $6 $78 $220 $33 $40
Taxis $19 $21 $6 $44 $78 $14 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $49 $2 $49 $30 $16 $13
Sport and cultural events $46 $19 $11 $54 $100 $55 $39
Museums and sights $21 $15 $15 $20 $74 $26 $6
Nightlife $50 $43 $22 $82 $195 $54 $93
Gym $96 $36 $9 $44 $55 $31 $69
Yoga $98 $56 $23 $142 $197 $40 $112
Massage $11 $30 $15 $64 $109 $32 $75
SIM card options AIS MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Orange, Movistar, Vodafone AT&T, Verizon Tim, Claro, Vivo KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Grab Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now Uber, Lyft Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber Uber, Kakao
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup South African cuisine has been shaped by a long history of Dutch, Malay, British and Indian settlements, making the food diverse and strong in flavor. There is a strong emphasis on game in all of its different forms, as well as spicy sauces and sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. 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. 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. Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. 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 Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros Pizza, clam chowder, bagels, corned beef, pastrami, cheesecake, hot dogs, and hundred of other international food options. Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets 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! Delis, local pizza shops, street food stalls and food trucks, food markets, local bakeries and smaller, authentic international cuisine restaurants The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city. Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 309 options on HappyCow 54 options on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow