Bangkok vs Istanbul vs Madrid vs New York City vs Rio de Janeiro

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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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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Population 5,680,000 15,520,000 6,578,0179 8,323,340 6,718,903
Official language(s) Thai Turkish Spanish English (de facto) Portuguese
Level of English Low Low Moderate Very high Low
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Istanbul Airport (IST) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Galeรฃo International Airport
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December April - June, September and October March - May, September - November April - June, September - November January - March, December
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) USD - US Dollar ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $1560 $659 $2498 $5431 $1833
Rent $616 $354 $1174 $2891 $1066
Groceries $191 $44 $175 $383 $95
Dining out $168 $81 $313 $656 $210
Cafe $45 $18 $51 $72 $25
Coworking space $127 $49 $196 $326 $130
Mobile internet $23 $3 $10 $45 $7
Public transportation $32 $6 $78 $220 $33
Taxis $19 $6 $44 $78 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $2 $49 $30 $16
Sport and cultural events $46 $11 $54 $100 $55
Museums and sights $21 $15 $20 $74 $26
Nightlife $50 $22 $82 $195 $54
Gym $96 $9 $44 $55 $31
Yoga $98 $23 $142 $197 $40
Massage $11 $15 $64 $109 $32
SIM card options AIS Turkcell, Turk Telekom Orange, Movistar, Vodafone AT&T, Verizon Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 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
Taxi apps Grab BiTaksi Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now Uber, Lyft Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable 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. 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.
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 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.
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! 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.
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 309 options on HappyCow 54 options on Happy Cow