Bucharest vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Mexico City vs Rio de Janeiro

Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Mexico City 🇲🇽
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Population 1,830,000 15,520,000 517,000 8,850,000 6,718,903
Official language(s) Romanian Turkish Portuguese Spanish Portuguese
Level of English High Low Very high Moderate Low
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Galeão International Airport
Most common months to visit April - October April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, October, November January - March, December
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1351 $659 $1984 $1867 $1833
Rent $615 $354 $965 $778 $1066
Groceries $114 $44 $136 $281 $95
Dining out $165 $81 $271 $182 $210
Cafe $38 $18 $37 $49 $25
Coworking space $133 $49 $164 $159 $130
Mobile internet $7 $3 $24 $25 $7
Public transportation $21 $6 $63 $11 $33
Taxis $9 $6 $27 $9 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $2 $18 $24 $16
Sport and cultural events $29 $11 $29 $81 $55
Museums and sights $29 $15 $24 $20 $26
Nightlife $45 $22 $47 $64 $54
Gym $30 $9 $65 $69 $31
Yoga $59 $23 $65 $65 $40
Massage $31 $15 $50 $51 $32
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable 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. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese 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 Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
Eat like a local Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Markets, food stalls, menú del día (cheap set lunch menus) 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 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow