Barbados vs Bogota vs Cape Town vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul

Barbados ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ง
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Bogota ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 110,000 10,978,360 4,617,560 1,166,978 15,520,000
Official language(s) English, Bajan Creole Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Thai Turkish
Level of English Very high Low Very high Low Low
Main airport Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST)
Most common months to visit November - May January - March, December March - May, September - November November - April April - June, September and October
Currency BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) COP - Colombian Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ)
Credit cards Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places
Remote worker visa Yes No No No No
Average monthly costs $2702 $1097 $1549 $974 $659
Rent $1054 $480 $618 $274 $354
Groceries $234 $82 $129 $169 $44
Dining out $345 $174 $269 $108 $81
Cafe $75 $22 $32 $45 $18
Coworking space $321 $77 $151 $95 $49
Mobile internet $49 $11 $27 $11 $3
Public transportation $35 $23 $55 $60 $6
Taxis $106 $28 $21 $20 $6
Shared bicycles and scooters $0 $17 $49 $10 $2
Sport and cultural events $37 $22 $19 $8 $11
Museums and sights $36 $7 $15 $8 $15
Nightlife $96 $46 $43 $62 $22
Gym $86 $15 $36 $41 $9
Yoga $130 $57 $56 $55 $23
Massage $99 $37 $30 $10 $15
SIM card options Digicel Tigo, Movistar, Claro MTN, Vodacom AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom
Tipping 10 - 15% usually included in restaurants, add 10 - 15% at bars 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars
Taxi apps None available Uber, Cabify Uber, Bolt Grab BiTaksi
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Bajan cuisine features an eclectic mix of European, Asian, and Caribbean styles resulting in bold, tasty and crunchy meat or fish dishes with lots of spices, lime juice, thyme and salads laden with local vegetables and hot side dishes. Latin American. Dishes with beef, pork and chicken are often mixed with flour-based foods and fruity desserts. Heavy influence from the Andes and other Colombian regions. 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. Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish
Local food specialities Cou-cou and flying fish, fish cakes, cutters, pudding and souse, macaroni pie, conkies, Bajan black cake, sea eggs Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buรฑuelos, patacones, tรฉ de coca, changua Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight
Eat like a local Food trucks, pubs, seaside street food, roadside carts, local seafood restaurants, smaller traditional restaurants and rum shops Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menรบ del dรญa. Community markets and sports bars. Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee
Vegetarian / vegan options 14 options on HappyCow 104 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow