Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Madrid vs Seoul

Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Madrid 🇪🇸
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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Population 2,900,000 15,520,000 517,000 6,578,0179 9,963,452
Official language(s) Spanish Turkish Portuguese Spanish Korean
Level of English High Low Very high Moderate Moderate
Main airport Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit September - December April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, September - November March - May, September - November
Currency ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) EUR - Euro (€) KRW - South Korean won (₩)
Credit cards Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1321 $659 $1984 $2498 $2184
Rent $844 $354 $965 $1174 $797
Groceries $98 $44 $136 $175 $356
Dining out $121 $81 $271 $313 $211
Cafe $25 $18 $37 $51 $69
Coworking space $95 $49 $164 $196 $222
Mobile internet $11 $3 $24 $10 $40
Public transportation $9 $6 $63 $78 $40
Taxis $9 $6 $27 $44 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $14 $2 $18 $49 $13
Sport and cultural events $24 $11 $29 $54 $39
Museums and sights $4 $15 $24 $20 $6
Nightlife $23 $22 $47 $82 $93
Gym $14 $9 $65 $44 $69
Yoga $19 $23 $65 $142 $112
Massage $10 $15 $50 $64 $75
SIM card options Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Orange, Movistar, Vodafone KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping 10% at restaurants and cafés is common, not common at bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Not customary or expected but small tips are appreciated. Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now Uber, Kakao
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Fresh, regional produce accentuated with garlic and olive oil and mixed with various meats and seafoods. Influenced both by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors. 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 Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Paella, tapas, tortilla, gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, callos a la madrileña, churros 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 Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Have some tapas and sangria at a tasca and paella at an authentic eatery. Keep an eye on the time and visit a cafeteria for a mid-afternoon merienda and some churros! Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow