Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Lisbon vs Rio de Janeiro vs Seoul

Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
Remove
Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
Remove
Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
Remove
Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
Remove
Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
Remove
Population 2,900,000 4,617,560 517,000 6,718,903 9,963,452
Official language(s) Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Portuguese Portuguese Korean
Level of English High Very high Very high Low Moderate
Main airport Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Galeรฃo International Airport Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit September - December March - May, September - November March - May, September, October January - March, December March - May, September - November
Currency ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
Credit cards Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $1321 $1549 $1984 $1833 $2184
Rent $844 $618 $965 $1066 $797
Groceries $98 $129 $136 $95 $356
Dining out $121 $269 $271 $210 $211
Cafe $25 $32 $37 $25 $69
Coworking space $95 $151 $164 $130 $222
Mobile internet $11 $27 $24 $7 $40
Public transportation $9 $55 $63 $33 $40
Taxis $9 $21 $27 $14 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $14 $49 $18 $16 $13
Sport and cultural events $24 $19 $29 $55 $39
Museums and sights $4 $15 $24 $26 $6
Nightlife $23 $43 $47 $54 $93
Gym $14 $36 $65 $31 $69
Yoga $19 $56 $65 $40 $112
Massage $10 $30 $50 $32 $75
SIM card options Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Vodafone Tim, Claro, Vivo KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping 10% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt Uber, FreeNow Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber Uber, Kakao
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not 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 sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. 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 Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. 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 cafรฉs for matรฉ and facturas Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants The "snack capital" of Brazil, Rio is a perfect place to try street food as well as the wide varieties of small, traditional eateries and churrascarias easily found across the city. Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow