Buenos Aires vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Madrid vs Medellin

Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Madrid 🇪🇸
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Population 2,900,000 15,520,000 517,000 6,578,0179 2,427,000
Official language(s) Spanish Turkish Portuguese Spanish Spanish
Level of English High Low Very high Moderate Low
Main airport Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE)
Most common months to visit September - December April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, September - November January - April, December
Currency ARS - Argentine Peso ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) EUR - Euro (€) COP - Colombian Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted in some places
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $1321 $659 $1984 $2498 $1293
Rent $844 $354 $965 $1174 $732
Groceries $98 $44 $136 $175 $87
Dining out $121 $81 $271 $313 $131
Cafe $25 $18 $37 $51 $18
Coworking space $95 $49 $164 $196 $96
Mobile internet $11 $3 $24 $10 $16
Public transportation $9 $6 $63 $78 $21
Taxis $9 $6 $27 $44 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $14 $2 $18 $49 $0
Sport and cultural events $24 $11 $29 $54 $8
Museums and sights $4 $15 $24 $20 $9
Nightlife $23 $22 $47 $82 $73
Gym $14 $9 $65 $44 $15
Yoga $19 $23 $65 $142 $54
Massage $10 $15 $50 $64 $20
SIM card options Movistar, Claro, Personal Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Orange, Movistar, Vodafone Claro, Tigo
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. Tip 10% in restaurants
Taxi apps Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi Free Now EasyTaxi
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Drinkable Not 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. 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 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 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 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! Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food
Vegetarian / vegan options 79 options on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 85 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow