Austin vs Bangkok vs Istanbul vs Medellin vs Playa del Carmen

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 926,426 5,680,000 15,520,000 2,427,000 259,453
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Turkish Spanish Spanish
Level of English Very high Low Low Low Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Istanbul Airport (IST) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November January - March, November, December April - June, September and October January - April, December January - May, October - December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted in some places Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $1560 $659 $1293 $2143
Rent $1650 $616 $354 $732 $923
Groceries $243 $191 $44 $87 $127
Dining out $396 $168 $81 $131 $207
Cafe $66 $45 $18 $18 $42
Coworking space $331 $127 $49 $96 $160
Mobile internet $40 $23 $3 $16 $21
Public transportation $110 $32 $6 $21 $17
Taxis $73 $19 $6 $14 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $17 $2 $0 $49
Sport and cultural events $54 $46 $11 $8 $97
Museums and sights $11 $21 $15 $9 $217
Nightlife $124 $50 $22 $73 $77
Gym $62 $96 $9 $15 $42
Yoga $139 $98 $23 $54 $54
Massage $89 $11 $15 $20 $101
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS Turkcell, Turk Telekom Claro, Tigo Telcel, Movistar
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% for restaurants, bars and services Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars Tip 10% in restaurants 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab BiTaksi EasyTaxi N/A
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. 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 Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries 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 Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 416 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow