Bogota vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Madrid

Bogota 🇨🇴
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Madrid 🇪🇸
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Population 10,978,360 2,900,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 6,578,0179
Official language(s) Spanish Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Spanish
Level of English Low High Very high Low Moderate
Main airport El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
Most common months to visit January - March, December September - December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September - November
Currency COP - Colombian Peso ($) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€)
Credit cards Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $1097 $1321 $1549 $659 $2498
Rent $480 $844 $618 $354 $1174
Groceries $82 $98 $129 $44 $175
Dining out $174 $121 $269 $81 $313
Cafe $22 $25 $32 $18 $51
Coworking space $77 $95 $151 $49 $196
Mobile internet $11 $11 $27 $3 $10
Public transportation $23 $9 $55 $6 $78
Taxis $28 $9 $21 $6 $44
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $14 $49 $2 $49
Sport and cultural events $22 $24 $19 $11 $54
Museums and sights $7 $4 $15 $15 $20
Nightlife $46 $23 $43 $22 $82
Gym $15 $14 $36 $9 $44
Yoga $57 $19 $56 $23 $142
Massage $37 $10 $30 $15 $64
SIM card options Tigo, Movistar, Claro Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Orange, Movistar, Vodafone
Tipping 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service 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 Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated.
Taxi apps Uber, Cabify Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine 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. 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 Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors.
Local food specialities Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buñuelos, patacones, té de coca, changua 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 Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileña, churros
Eat like a local Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menú del día. Community markets and sports bars. 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 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!
Vegetarian / vegan options 104 options on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow