Buenos Aires vs Chiang Mai vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Medellin

Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Chiang Mai 🇹🇭
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Population 2,900,000 1,166,978 15,520,000 517,000 2,427,000
Official language(s) Spanish Thai Turkish Portuguese Spanish
Level of English High Low Low Very high Low
Main airport Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE)
Most common months to visit September - December November - April April - June, September and October March - May, September, October January - April, December
Currency ARS - Argentine Peso ($) THB - Thai Baht (฿) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $1321 $974 $659 $1984 $1293
Rent $844 $274 $354 $965 $732
Groceries $98 $169 $44 $136 $87
Dining out $121 $108 $81 $271 $131
Cafe $25 $45 $18 $37 $18
Coworking space $95 $95 $49 $164 $96
Mobile internet $11 $11 $3 $24 $16
Public transportation $9 $60 $6 $63 $21
Taxis $9 $20 $6 $27 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $14 $10 $2 $18 $0
Sport and cultural events $24 $8 $11 $29 $8
Museums and sights $4 $8 $15 $24 $9
Nightlife $23 $62 $22 $47 $73
Gym $14 $41 $9 $65 $15
Yoga $19 $55 $23 $65 $54
Massage $10 $10 $15 $50 $20
SIM card options Movistar, Claro, Personal AIS, DTAC Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Claro, Tigo
Tipping 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants
Taxi apps Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Grab BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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 Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats
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 Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa
Eat like a local Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté 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 Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food
Vegetarian / vegan options 79 options on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow