Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
|
Cape Town 🇿🇦
|
Istanbul 🇹🇷
|
Larnaca 🇨🇾
|
Lisbon 🇵🇹
|
Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
|
Valencia 🇪🇸
|
|
Population | 2,900,000 | 4,617,560 | 15,520,000 | 144,900 | 517,000 | 6,718,903 | 834,000 |
Official language(s) | Spanish | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Turkish | Greek | Portuguese | Portuguese | Spanish, Valencian |
Level of English | High | Very high | Low | High | Very high | Low | Moderate |
Main airport | Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Larnaca International Airport (LCA) | Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) | Galeão International Airport | Valencia Manises Airport (VLC) |
Most common months to visit | September - December | March - May, September - November | April - June, September and October | March - May, October - December | March - May, September, October | January - March, December | March - June, September, October |
Currency | ARS - Argentine Peso ($) | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) | EUR - Euro (€) | EUR - Euro (€) | BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) | EUR - Euro (€) |
Credit cards | Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted in most places | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $1321 | $1549 | $659 | $1959 | $1984 | $1833 | $1976 |
Rent | $844 | $618 | $354 | $678 | $965 | $1066 | $869 |
Groceries | $98 | $129 | $44 | $157 | $136 | $95 | $146 |
Dining out | $121 | $269 | $81 | $261 | $271 | $210 | $292 |
Cafe | $25 | $32 | $18 | $56 | $37 | $25 | $42 |
Coworking space | $95 | $151 | $49 | $209 | $164 | $130 | $152 |
Mobile internet | $11 | $27 | $3 | $35 | $24 | $7 | $16 |
Public transportation | $9 | $55 | $6 | $63 | $63 | $33 | $38 |
Taxis | $9 | $21 | $6 | $42 | $27 | $14 | $42 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $14 | $49 | $2 | $45 | $18 | $16 | $30 |
Sport and cultural events | $24 | $19 | $11 | $28 | $29 | $55 | $73 |
Museums and sights | $4 | $15 | $15 | $8 | $24 | $26 | $44 |
Nightlife | $23 | $43 | $22 | $110 | $47 | $54 | $66 |
Gym | $14 | $36 | $9 | $107 | $65 | $31 | $34 |
Yoga | $19 | $56 | $23 | $105 | $65 | $40 | $87 |
Massage | $10 | $30 | $15 | $54 | $50 | $32 | $45 |
SIM card options | Movistar, Claro, Personal | MTN, Vodacom | Turkcell, Turk Telekom | Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN | Vodafone | Tim, Claro, Vivo | Vodafone, Orange |
Tipping | 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 added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars | 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars | 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common | Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars |
Taxi apps | Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) | Uber, Bolt | BiTaksi | nTaxi | Uber, FreeNow | Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber | Cabify, FreeNow |
Tap water | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Drinkable |
Overall 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 | Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. | 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. | Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats |
Local food specialities | 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 | Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka | 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. | Paella, fideuà , esgarrat, orxata, bunyols |
Eat like a local | 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 | Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. | 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. | Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches) |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 79 options on Happy Cow | 24 options on HappyCow | 59 listings on Happy Cow | 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available | 401 listings on Happy Cow | 54 options on Happy Cow | 98 listings on Happy Cow |