Barbados vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Madrid vs Rio de Janeiro

Barbados 🇧🇧
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Madrid 🇪🇸
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Population 110,000 2,900,000 15,520,000 517,000 6,578,0179 6,718,903
Official language(s) English, Bajan Creole Spanish Turkish Portuguese Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Very high High Low Very high Moderate Low
Main airport Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Galeão International Airport
Most common months to visit November - May September - December April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, September - November January - March, December
Currency BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) EUR - Euro (€) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa Yes No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $2702 $1321 $659 $1984 $2498 $1833
Rent $1054 $844 $354 $965 $1174 $1066
Groceries $234 $98 $44 $136 $175 $95
Dining out $345 $121 $81 $271 $313 $210
Cafe $75 $25 $18 $37 $51 $25
Coworking space $321 $95 $49 $164 $196 $130
Mobile internet $49 $11 $3 $24 $10 $7
Public transportation $35 $9 $6 $63 $78 $33
Taxis $106 $9 $6 $27 $44 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $0 $14 $2 $18 $49 $16
Sport and cultural events $37 $24 $11 $29 $54 $55
Museums and sights $36 $4 $15 $24 $20 $26
Nightlife $96 $23 $22 $47 $82 $54
Gym $86 $14 $9 $65 $44 $31
Yoga $130 $19 $23 $65 $142 $40
Massage $99 $10 $15 $50 $64 $32
SIM card options Digicel Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 10 - 15% usually included in restaurants, add 10 - 15% at bars 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps None available Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable 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. Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. 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 Cou-cou and flying fish, fish cakes, cutters, pudding and souse, macaroni pie, conkies, Bajan black cake, sea eggs Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileña, churros Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
Eat like a local Food trucks, pubs, seaside street food, roadside carts, local seafood restaurants, smaller traditional restaurants and rum shops Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants 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! 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 14 options on HappyCow 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow