Bangkok vs Bogota vs Istanbul vs Mexico City vs Playa del Carmen vs Seoul

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Bogota ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 5,680,000 10,978,360 15,520,000 8,850,000 259,453 9,963,452
Official language(s) Thai Spanish Turkish Spanish Spanish Korean
Level of English Low Low Low Moderate Moderate Moderate
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Istanbul Airport (IST) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December January - March, December April - June, September and October March - May, October, November January - May, October - December March - May, September - November
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted in most places Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1560 $1097 $659 $1867 $2143 $2184
Rent $616 $480 $354 $778 $923 $797
Groceries $191 $82 $44 $281 $127 $356
Dining out $168 $174 $81 $182 $207 $211
Cafe $45 $22 $18 $49 $42 $69
Coworking space $127 $77 $49 $159 $160 $222
Mobile internet $23 $11 $3 $25 $21 $40
Public transportation $32 $23 $6 $11 $17 $40
Taxis $19 $28 $6 $9 $9 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $17 $2 $24 $49 $13
Sport and cultural events $46 $22 $11 $81 $97 $39
Museums and sights $21 $7 $15 $20 $217 $6
Nightlife $50 $46 $22 $64 $77 $93
Gym $96 $15 $9 $69 $42 $69
Yoga $98 $57 $23 $65 $54 $112
Massage $11 $37 $15 $51 $101 $75
SIM card options AIS Tigo, Movistar, Claro Turkcell, Turk Telekom Telcel, Movistar Telcel, Movistar KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10% service included in all bills, not required or expected at bars without table service Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10-15% for restaurants Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Grab Uber, Cabify BiTaksi Uber N/A Uber, Kakao
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup 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. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture.
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Arepas, ajiaco santaferense, buรฑuelos, patacones, tรฉ de coca, changua Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Local family restaurants and those from other regions. Menรบ del dรญa. Community markets and sports bars. Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 104 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow