Bangkok vs Buenos Aires vs Hanoi vs Istanbul vs Medellin

Bangkok 🇹🇭
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Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Hanoi 🇻🇳
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Population 5,680,000 2,900,000 8,053,663 15,520,000 2,427,000
Official language(s) Thai Spanish Vietnamese Turkish Spanish
Level of English Low High Moderate Low Low
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Nội Bài International Airport (HAN) Istanbul Airport (IST) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December September - December January, February, October - December April - June, September and October January - April, December
Currency THB - Thai Baht (฿) ARS - Argentine Peso ($) VND - Vietnamese Dong (₫) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) COP - Colombian Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in some places. Cash often preferred. Accepted in most places Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No No No No No
Average monthly costs $1560 $1321 $1167 $659 $1293
Rent $616 $844 $503 $354 $732
Groceries $191 $98 $151 $44 $87
Dining out $168 $121 $134 $81 $131
Cafe $45 $25 $39 $18 $18
Coworking space $127 $95 $72 $49 $96
Mobile internet $23 $11 $4 $3 $16
Public transportation $32 $9 $20 $6 $21
Taxis $19 $9 $13 $6 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $14 $0 $2 $0
Sport and cultural events $46 $24 $3 $11 $8
Museums and sights $21 $4 $4 $15 $9
Nightlife $50 $23 $89 $22 $73
Gym $96 $14 $57 $9 $15
Yoga $98 $19 $57 $23 $54
Massage $11 $10 $21 $15 $20
SIM card options AIS Movistar, Claro, Personal Viettel, Mobifone Turkcell, Turk Telekom Claro, Tigo
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars Not required but appreciated, especially in taxis, restaurants and bars. Round up or add 10%. Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars Tip 10% in restaurants
Taxi apps Grab Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Grab, GoViet BiTaksi EasyTaxi
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options A mix of French, Southeast Asian and Chinese with lots of fresh herbs and spices. Northern Vietnam cuisine includes a lot of fish and noodles. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Pho, cha ca, Vietnamese coffee, pastries and breads Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafés for maté and facturas Noodle Houses, Bakeries, Coffee and Tea Houses, street food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 79 options on Happy Cow 104 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow