Barbados vs Berlin vs Buenos Aires vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul

Barbados 🇧🇧
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Berlin 🇩🇪
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Chiang Mai 🇹🇭
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Population 110,000 3,400,000 2,900,000 1,166,978 15,520,000
Official language(s) English, Bajan Creole German Spanish Thai Turkish
Level of English Very high Very high High Low Low
Main airport Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) Berlin Tegel (TXL) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST)
Most common months to visit November - May May - September September - December November - April April - June, September and October
Currency BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) EUR - Euro (€) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) THB - Thai Baht (฿) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺)
Credit cards Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses Accepted in some places but cash often preferred Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places
Remote worker visa Yes Yes No No No
Average monthly costs $2702 $2200 $1321 $974 $659
Rent $1054 $939 $844 $274 $354
Groceries $234 $188 $98 $169 $44
Dining out $345 $271 $121 $108 $81
Cafe $75 $57 $25 $45 $18
Coworking space $321 $174 $95 $95 $49
Mobile internet $49 $23 $11 $11 $3
Public transportation $35 $88 $9 $60 $6
Taxis $106 $58 $9 $20 $6
Shared bicycles and scooters $0 $17 $14 $10 $2
Sport and cultural events $37 $64 $24 $8 $11
Museums and sights $36 $37 $4 $8 $15
Nightlife $96 $63 $23 $62 $22
Gym $86 $66 $14 $41 $9
Yoga $130 $99 $19 $55 $23
Massage $99 $56 $10 $10 $15
SIM card options Digicel Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Movistar, Claro, Personal AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom
Tipping 10 - 15% usually included in restaurants, add 10 - 15% at bars Round up for restaurants, not common for bars and services 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars
Taxi apps None available Mytaxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Grab BiTaksi
Tap water Not drinkable 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. Heavy and hearty meals with plenty of meat, potatoes and bread Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options 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 Currywurst, spätzle, königsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight
Eat like a local Food trucks, pubs, seaside street food, roadside carts, local seafood restaurants, smaller traditional restaurants and rum shops Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas 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 844 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow