Bucharest vs Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Mexico City vs Panama City vs Seoul vs Tbilisi

Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Mexico City 🇲🇽
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Panama City 🇵🇦
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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Tbilisi 🇬🇪
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Population 1,830,000 2,900,000 15,520,000 8,850,000 880,691 9,963,452 1,108,700
Official language(s) Romanian Spanish Turkish Spanish Spanish Korean Georgian
Level of English High High Low Moderate Low Moderate Low
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Tocumen International Airport (PTY) Incheon International Airport (ICN) Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)
Most common months to visit April - October September - December April - June, September and October March - May, October, November December - April March - May, September - November March - June
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) KRW - South Korean won (₩) GEL - Georgian Lari (₾)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $1351 $1321 $659 $1867 $2359 $2184 $1462
Rent $615 $844 $354 $778 $1036 $797 $752
Groceries $114 $98 $44 $281 $236 $356 $112
Dining out $165 $121 $81 $182 $371 $211 $169
Cafe $38 $25 $18 $49 $43 $69 $45
Coworking space $133 $95 $49 $159 $157 $222 $125
Mobile internet $7 $11 $3 $25 $21 $40 $4
Public transportation $21 $9 $6 $11 $12 $40 $8
Taxis $9 $9 $6 $9 $48 $41 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $14 $2 $24 $0 $13 $27
Sport and cultural events $29 $24 $11 $81 $35 $39 $21
Museums and sights $29 $4 $15 $20 $9 $6 $9
Nightlife $45 $23 $22 $64 $117 $93 $53
Gym $30 $14 $9 $69 $37 $69 $33
Yoga $59 $19 $23 $65 $163 $112 $37
Massage $31 $10 $15 $51 $75 $75 $53
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom Telcel, Movistar Claro, Movistar KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus 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 Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere Not customary or expected 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafés.
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi Uber Uber, Tu Chofer Uber, Kakao Yandex, Bolt
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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 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 Latin American. Emphasis on rice, beans, coconut, and local fruits and vegetables. Pork and beef are regularly used and influence from the islands gives seafood dishes a prominent spot in Panamanian cuisine. Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture. 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 Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameños, tostones, ropa vieja Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam 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 Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Markets, food stalls, menú del día (cheap set lunch menus) Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 7 options on HappyCow 57 options on Happy Cow 10 options on Happy Cow