Buenos Aires vs Lisbon vs Medellin vs New York City vs Playa del Carmen

Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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New York City ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 2,900,000 517,000 2,427,000 8,323,340 259,453
Official language(s) Spanish Portuguese Spanish English (de facto) Spanish
Level of English High Very high Low Very high Moderate
Main airport Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit September - December March - May, September, October January - April, December April - June, September - November January - May, October - December
Currency ARS - Argentine Peso ($) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) USD - US Dollar ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes No No Yes
Average monthly costs $1321 $1984 $1293 $5431 $2143
Rent $844 $965 $732 $2891 $923
Groceries $98 $136 $87 $383 $127
Dining out $121 $271 $131 $656 $207
Cafe $25 $37 $18 $72 $42
Coworking space $95 $164 $96 $326 $160
Mobile internet $11 $24 $16 $45 $21
Public transportation $9 $63 $21 $220 $17
Taxis $9 $27 $14 $78 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $14 $18 $0 $30 $49
Sport and cultural events $24 $29 $8 $100 $97
Museums and sights $4 $24 $9 $74 $217
Nightlife $23 $47 $73 $195 $77
Gym $14 $65 $15 $55 $42
Yoga $19 $65 $54 $197 $54
Massage $10 $50 $20 $109 $101
SIM card options Movistar, Claro, Personal Vodafone Claro, Tigo AT&T, Verizon Telcel, Movistar
Tipping 10% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi Uber, Lyft N/A
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Argentinian style with an emphasis on red meats, pastries, and Italian-inspired options Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats American. Emphasis on comfort and fast food, with some good seafood dishes. Influence from other regions of the US, North America and the world make NYC a cosmopolitan and international cuisine hub that is incredibly diverse. Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices
Local food specialities Asado, empanadas (Argentinian style), locro, milanesa napolitana, facturas and alfajores Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Pizza, clam chowder, bagels, corned beef, pastrami, cheesecake, hot dogs, and hundred of other international food options. Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
Eat like a local Local restaurants serving asados grill-to-dish (Parrillas), markets (San Telmo, Recoleta) and local cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Delis, local pizza shops, street food stalls and food trucks, food markets, local bakeries and smaller, authentic international cuisine restaurants Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 79 options on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 309 options on HappyCow 72 listings on Happy Cow