Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Lisbon vs Medellin vs Mexico 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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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 2,900,000 4,617,560 517,000 2,427,000 8,850,000
Official language(s) Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Portuguese Spanish Spanish
Level of English High Very high Very high Low Moderate
Main airport Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) Mexico City International Airport (MEX)
Most common months to visit September - December March - May, September - November March - May, September, October January - April, December March - May, October, November
Currency ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
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 Widely accepted (less with AMEX)
Remote worker visa No No Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $1321 $1549 $1984 $1293 $1867
Rent $844 $618 $965 $732 $778
Groceries $98 $129 $136 $87 $281
Dining out $121 $269 $271 $131 $182
Cafe $25 $32 $37 $18 $49
Coworking space $95 $151 $164 $96 $159
Mobile internet $11 $27 $24 $16 $25
Public transportation $9 $55 $63 $21 $11
Taxis $9 $21 $27 $14 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $14 $49 $18 $0 $24
Sport and cultural events $24 $19 $29 $8 $81
Museums and sights $4 $15 $24 $9 $20
Nightlife $23 $43 $47 $73 $64
Gym $14 $36 $65 $15 $69
Yoga $19 $56 $65 $54 $65
Massage $10 $30 $50 $20 $51
SIM card options Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Vodafone Claro, Tigo Telcel, Movistar
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 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services
Taxi apps Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi Uber
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not 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 Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese
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 Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas
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 Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus)
Vegetarian / vegan options 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow