Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Lisbon vs Playa del Carmen vs Seoul

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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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 2,900,000 4,617,560 517,000 259,453 9,963,452
Official language(s) Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Portuguese Spanish Korean
Level of English High Very high Very high Moderate Moderate
Main airport Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit September - December March - May, September - November March - May, September, October January - May, October - December March - May, September - November
Currency ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
Credit cards Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1321 $1549 $1984 $2143 $2184
Rent $844 $618 $965 $923 $797
Groceries $98 $129 $136 $127 $356
Dining out $121 $269 $271 $207 $211
Cafe $25 $32 $37 $42 $69
Coworking space $95 $151 $164 $160 $222
Mobile internet $11 $27 $24 $21 $40
Public transportation $9 $55 $63 $17 $40
Taxis $9 $21 $27 $9 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $14 $49 $18 $49 $13
Sport and cultural events $24 $19 $29 $97 $39
Museums and sights $4 $15 $24 $217 $6
Nightlife $23 $43 $47 $77 $93
Gym $14 $36 $65 $42 $69
Yoga $19 $56 $65 $54 $112
Massage $10 $30 $50 $101 $75
SIM card options Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
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 10-15% for restaurants Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt Uber, FreeNow N/A Uber, Kakao
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 Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture.
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 Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
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 Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow