Barbados vs Bucharest vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Larnaca

Barbados 🇧🇧
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Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Larnaca 🇨🇾
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Population 110,000 1,830,000 2,900,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 144,900
Official language(s) English, Bajan Creole Romanian Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Greek
Level of English Very high High High Very high Low High
Main airport Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA)
Most common months to visit November - May April - October September - December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, October - December
Currency BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) RON - Romanian Leu (L) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€)
Credit cards Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa Yes No No No No No
Average monthly costs $2702 $1351 $1321 $1549 $659 $1959
Rent $1054 $615 $844 $618 $354 $678
Groceries $234 $114 $98 $129 $44 $157
Dining out $345 $165 $121 $269 $81 $261
Cafe $75 $38 $25 $32 $18 $56
Coworking space $321 $133 $95 $151 $49 $209
Mobile internet $49 $7 $11 $27 $3 $35
Public transportation $35 $21 $9 $55 $6 $63
Taxis $106 $9 $9 $21 $6 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $0 $25 $14 $49 $2 $45
Sport and cultural events $37 $29 $24 $19 $11 $28
Museums and sights $36 $29 $4 $15 $15 $8
Nightlife $96 $45 $23 $43 $22 $110
Gym $86 $30 $14 $36 $9 $107
Yoga $130 $59 $19 $56 $23 $105
Massage $99 $31 $10 $30 $15 $54
SIM card options Digicel Vodafone, Orange Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN
Tipping 10 - 15% usually included in restaurants, add 10 - 15% at bars 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars
Taxi apps None available Star Taxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt BiTaksi nTaxi
Tap water Not drinkable 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. Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options 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 sautéed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well..
Local food specialities Cou-cou and flying fish, fish cakes, cutters, pudding and souse, macaroni pie, conkies, Bajan black cake, sea eggs Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka
Eat like a local Food trucks, pubs, seaside street food, roadside carts, local seafood restaurants, smaller traditional restaurants and rum shops Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too.
Vegetarian / vegan options 14 options on HappyCow 33 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available