|
Bucharest 🇷🇴
|
Cape Town 🇿🇦
|
Istanbul 🇹🇷
|
Lisbon 🇵🇹
|
Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
|
|
| Population | 1,830,000 | 4,617,560 | 15,520,000 | 517,000 | 6,718,903 |
| Official language(s) | Romanian | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Turkish | Portuguese | Portuguese |
| Level of English | High | Very high | Low | Very high | Low |
| Main airport | Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) | Galeão International Airport |
| Most common months to visit | April - October | March - May, September - November | April - June, September and October | March - May, September, October | January - March, December |
| Currency | RON - Romanian Leu (L) | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | EUR - Euro (€) | BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) |
| Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted in most places | Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) | Accepted everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Average monthly costs | $1351 | $1549 | $659 | $1984 | $1833 |
| Rent | $615 | $618 | $354 | $965 | $1066 |
| Groceries | $114 | $129 | $44 | $136 | $95 |
| Dining out | $165 | $269 | $81 | $271 | $210 |
| Cafe | $38 | $32 | $18 | $37 | $25 |
| Coworking space | $133 | $151 | $49 | $164 | $130 |
| Mobile internet | $7 | $27 | $3 | $24 | $7 |
| Public transportation | $21 | $55 | $6 | $63 | $33 |
| Taxis | $9 | $21 | $6 | $27 | $14 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $25 | $49 | $2 | $18 | $16 |
| Sport and cultural events | $29 | $19 | $11 | $29 | $55 |
| Museums and sights | $29 | $15 | $15 | $24 | $26 |
| Nightlife | $45 | $43 | $22 | $47 | $54 |
| Gym | $30 | $36 | $9 | $65 | $31 |
| Yoga | $59 | $56 | $23 | $65 | $40 |
| Massage | $31 | $30 | $15 | $50 | $32 |
| SIM card options | Vodafone, Orange | MTN, Vodacom | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Vodafone | Tim, Claro, Vivo |
| Tipping | 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis | 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere | Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars | 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars | 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common |
| Taxi apps | Star Taxi, Uber | Uber, Bolt | BiTaksi | Uber, FreeNow | Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber |
| Tap water | 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. | 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 seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries | Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. |
| Local food specialities | Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi | Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow | Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight | Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana | Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. |
| Eat like a local | Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias | 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 | Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants | The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city. |
| Vegetarian / vegan options | 33 listings on Happy Cow | 24 options on HappyCow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 401 listings on Happy Cow | 54 options on Happy Cow |