Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Lisbon vs Medellin vs New York City

Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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New York City ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Population 2,900,000 4,617,560 517,000 2,427,000 8,323,340
Official language(s) Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Portuguese Spanish English (de facto)
Level of English High Very high Very high Low Very high
Main airport Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Most common months to visit September - December March - May, September - November March - May, September, October January - April, December April - June, September - November
Currency ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) USD - US Dollar ($)
Credit cards Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $1321 $1549 $1984 $1293 $5431
Rent $844 $618 $965 $732 $2891
Groceries $98 $129 $136 $87 $383
Dining out $121 $269 $271 $131 $656
Cafe $25 $32 $37 $18 $72
Coworking space $95 $151 $164 $96 $326
Mobile internet $11 $27 $24 $16 $45
Public transportation $9 $55 $63 $21 $220
Taxis $9 $21 $27 $14 $78
Shared bicycles and scooters $14 $49 $18 $0 $30
Sport and cultural events $24 $19 $29 $8 $100
Museums and sights $4 $15 $24 $9 $74
Nightlife $23 $43 $47 $73 $195
Gym $14 $36 $65 $15 $55
Yoga $19 $56 $65 $54 $197
Massage $10 $30 $50 $20 $109
SIM card options Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Vodafone Claro, Tigo AT&T, Verizon
Tipping 10% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars
Taxi apps Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi Uber, Lyft
Tap water 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 sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats American. Emphasis on comfort and fast food, with some good seafood dishes. Influence from other regions of the US, North America and the world make NYC a cosmopolitan and international cuisine hub that is incredibly diverse.
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 Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Pizza, clam chowder, bagels, corned beef, pastrami, cheesecake, hot dogs, and hundred of other international food options.
Eat like a local Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Delis, local pizza shops, street food stalls and food trucks, food markets, local bakeries and smaller, authentic international cuisine restaurants
Vegetarian / vegan options 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 309 options on HappyCow