Bangkok vs Istanbul vs Medellin vs Mexico City vs New York City

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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New York City ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Population 5,680,000 15,520,000 2,427,000 8,850,000 8,323,340
Official language(s) Thai Turkish Spanish Spanish English (de facto)
Level of English Low Low Low Moderate Very high
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Istanbul Airport (IST) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December April - June, September and October January - April, December March - May, October, November April - June, September - November
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) USD - US Dollar ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted in some places Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $1560 $659 $1293 $1867 $5431
Rent $616 $354 $732 $778 $2891
Groceries $191 $44 $87 $281 $383
Dining out $168 $81 $131 $182 $656
Cafe $45 $18 $18 $49 $72
Coworking space $127 $49 $96 $159 $326
Mobile internet $23 $3 $16 $25 $45
Public transportation $32 $6 $21 $11 $220
Taxis $19 $6 $14 $9 $78
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $2 $0 $24 $30
Sport and cultural events $46 $11 $8 $81 $100
Museums and sights $21 $15 $9 $20 $74
Nightlife $50 $22 $73 $64 $195
Gym $96 $9 $15 $69 $55
Yoga $98 $23 $54 $65 $197
Massage $11 $15 $20 $51 $109
SIM card options AIS Turkcell, Turk Telekom Claro, Tigo Telcel, Movistar AT&T, Verizon
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars Tip 10% in restaurants 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars
Taxi apps Grab BiTaksi EasyTaxi Uber Uber, Lyft
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not 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 A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats 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.
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa 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.
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food 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
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 309 options on HappyCow