Bucharest vs Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Tbilisi

Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Tbilisi 🇬🇪
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Population 1,830,000 2,900,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 1,108,700
Official language(s) Romanian Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Georgian
Level of English High High Very high Low Low
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)
Most common months to visit April - October September - December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - June
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) GEL - Georgian Lari (₾)
Credit cards Accepted almost 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 $1351 $1321 $1549 $659 $1462
Rent $615 $844 $618 $354 $752
Groceries $114 $98 $129 $44 $112
Dining out $165 $121 $269 $81 $169
Cafe $38 $25 $32 $18 $45
Coworking space $133 $95 $151 $49 $125
Mobile internet $7 $11 $27 $3 $4
Public transportation $21 $9 $55 $6 $8
Taxis $9 $9 $21 $6 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $14 $49 $2 $27
Sport and cultural events $29 $24 $19 $11 $21
Museums and sights $29 $4 $15 $15 $9
Nightlife $45 $23 $43 $22 $53
Gym $30 $14 $36 $9 $33
Yoga $59 $19 $56 $23 $37
Massage $31 $10 $30 $15 $53
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline
Tipping 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 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 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafés.
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Yandex, Bolt
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian cuisine. 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 Cuisine of the Caucasus meets regional diversity in Georgia. Emphasis on spices and meats (poultry, beef, pork and mutton) as well as soups and creams.
Local food specialities Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi 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 Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli
Eat like a local Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias 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 Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 10 options on Happy Cow