Berlin vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Lisbon vs Madrid vs Playa del Carmen

Berlin ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช
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Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 3,400,000 2,900,000 4,617,560 517,000 6,578,0179 259,453
Official language(s) German Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Portuguese Spanish Spanish
Level of English Very high High Very high Very high Moderate Moderate
Main airport Berlin Tegel (TXL) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit May - September September - December March - May, September - November March - May, September, October March - May, September - November January - May, October - December
Currency EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted in some places but cash often preferred Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $2200 $1321 $1549 $1984 $2498 $2143
Rent $939 $844 $618 $965 $1174 $923
Groceries $188 $98 $129 $136 $175 $127
Dining out $271 $121 $269 $271 $313 $207
Cafe $57 $25 $32 $37 $51 $42
Coworking space $174 $95 $151 $164 $196 $160
Mobile internet $23 $11 $27 $24 $10 $21
Public transportation $88 $9 $55 $63 $78 $17
Taxis $58 $9 $21 $27 $44 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $14 $49 $18 $49 $49
Sport and cultural events $64 $24 $19 $29 $54 $97
Museums and sights $37 $4 $15 $24 $20 $217
Nightlife $63 $23 $43 $47 $82 $77
Gym $66 $14 $36 $65 $44 $42
Yoga $99 $19 $56 $65 $142 $54
Massage $56 $10 $30 $50 $64 $101
SIM card options Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Vodafone Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Telcel, Movistar
Tipping Round up for restaurants, not common for bars and services 10% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Mytaxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt Uber, FreeNow Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now N/A
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Heavy and hearty meals with plenty of meat, potatoes and bread 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 sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. 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. Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices
Local food specialities Currywurst, spรคtzle, kรถnigsberger klopse, schnitzel, eisbein, doner kebab, pretzels Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileรฑa, churros Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
Eat like a local Brew pubs, cafes, bars, deli shops Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets 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! Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 844 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow