Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Seoul

Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
Remove
Cape Town 🇿🇦
Remove
Istanbul 🇹🇷
Remove
Lisbon 🇵🇹
Remove
Seoul 🇰🇷
Remove
Population 2,900,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 517,000 9,963,452
Official language(s) Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese Korean
Level of English High Very high Low Very high Moderate
Main airport Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit September - December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, September - November
Currency ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) KRW - South Korean won (₩)
Credit cards Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes No
Average monthly costs $1321 $1549 $659 $1984 $2184
Rent $844 $618 $354 $965 $797
Groceries $98 $129 $44 $136 $356
Dining out $121 $269 $81 $271 $211
Cafe $25 $32 $18 $37 $69
Coworking space $95 $151 $49 $164 $222
Mobile internet $11 $27 $3 $24 $40
Public transportation $9 $55 $6 $63 $40
Taxis $9 $21 $6 $27 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $14 $49 $2 $18 $13
Sport and cultural events $24 $19 $11 $29 $39
Museums and sights $4 $15 $15 $24 $6
Nightlife $23 $43 $22 $47 $93
Gym $14 $36 $9 $65 $69
Yoga $19 $56 $23 $65 $112
Massage $10 $30 $15 $50 $75
SIM card options Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber, Kakao
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable 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 sautéed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries 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 Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana 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 cafés for maté and facturas Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow