Buenos Aires vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul vs Mexico City vs Playa del Carmen

Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 2,900,000 1,166,978 15,520,000 8,850,000 259,453
Official language(s) Spanish Thai Turkish Spanish Spanish
Level of English High Low Low Moderate Moderate
Main airport Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit September - December November - April April - June, September and October March - May, October, November January - May, October - December
Currency ARS - Argentine Peso ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $1321 $974 $659 $1867 $2143
Rent $844 $274 $354 $778 $923
Groceries $98 $169 $44 $281 $127
Dining out $121 $108 $81 $182 $207
Cafe $25 $45 $18 $49 $42
Coworking space $95 $95 $49 $159 $160
Mobile internet $11 $11 $3 $25 $21
Public transportation $9 $60 $6 $11 $17
Taxis $9 $20 $6 $9 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $14 $10 $2 $24 $49
Sport and cultural events $24 $8 $11 $81 $97
Museums and sights $4 $8 $15 $20 $217
Nightlife $23 $62 $22 $64 $77
Gym $14 $41 $9 $69 $42
Yoga $19 $55 $23 $65 $54
Massage $10 $10 $15 $51 $101
SIM card options Movistar, Claro, Personal AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom Telcel, Movistar Telcel, Movistar
Tipping 10% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Grab BiTaksi Uber N/A
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices
Local food specialities Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
Eat like a local Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 79 options on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow