Bangkok vs Istanbul vs Madrid vs Playa del Carmen vs Seoul

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 5,680,000 15,520,000 6,578,0179 259,453 9,963,452
Official language(s) Thai Turkish Spanish Spanish Korean
Level of English Low Low Moderate Moderate Moderate
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Istanbul Airport (IST) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December April - June, September and October March - May, September - November January - May, October - December March - May, September - November
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1560 $659 $2498 $2143 $2184
Rent $616 $354 $1174 $923 $797
Groceries $191 $44 $175 $127 $356
Dining out $168 $81 $313 $207 $211
Cafe $45 $18 $51 $42 $69
Coworking space $127 $49 $196 $160 $222
Mobile internet $23 $3 $10 $21 $40
Public transportation $32 $6 $78 $17 $40
Taxis $19 $6 $44 $9 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $2 $49 $49 $13
Sport and cultural events $46 $11 $54 $97 $39
Museums and sights $21 $15 $20 $217 $6
Nightlife $50 $22 $82 $77 $93
Gym $96 $9 $44 $42 $69
Yoga $98 $23 $142 $54 $112
Massage $11 $15 $64 $101 $75
SIM card options AIS Turkcell, Turk Telekom Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Telcel, Movistar KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
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 Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Grab BiTaksi Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now N/A Uber, Kakao
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable 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. Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices 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 Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
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! Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow