Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Valencia

Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Valencia 🇪🇸
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Population 2,900,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 517,000 834,000
Official language(s) Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese Spanish, Valencian
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) Valencia Manises Airport (VLC)
Most common months to visit September - December March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - June, September, October
Currency ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) EUR - Euro (€)
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 almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $1321 $1549 $659 $1984 $1976
Rent $844 $618 $354 $965 $869
Groceries $98 $129 $44 $136 $146
Dining out $121 $269 $81 $271 $292
Cafe $25 $32 $18 $37 $42
Coworking space $95 $151 $49 $164 $152
Mobile internet $11 $27 $3 $24 $16
Public transportation $9 $55 $6 $63 $38
Taxis $9 $21 $6 $27 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $14 $49 $2 $18 $30
Sport and cultural events $24 $19 $11 $29 $73
Museums and sights $4 $15 $15 $24 $44
Nightlife $23 $43 $22 $47 $66
Gym $14 $36 $9 $65 $34
Yoga $19 $56 $23 $65 $87
Massage $10 $30 $15 $50 $45
SIM card options Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Vodafone, Orange
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 Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Cabify, FreeNow
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 Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats
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 Paella, fideuà, esgarrat, orxata, bunyols
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 Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches)
Vegetarian / vegan options 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 98 listings on Happy Cow