Buenos Aires vs Cape Town vs Medellin vs Rio de Janeiro

Buenos Aires ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 2,900,000 4,617,560 2,427,000 6,718,903
Official language(s) Spanish Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Spanish Portuguese
Level of English High Very high Low Low
Main airport Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) Galeรฃo International Airport
Most common months to visit September - December March - May, September - November January - April, December January - March, December
Currency ARS - Argentine Peso ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) COP - Colombian Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted everywhere. (ID required!) Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in some places Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No
Average monthly costs $1321 $1549 $1293 $1833
Rent $844 $618 $732 $1066
Groceries $98 $129 $87 $95
Dining out $121 $269 $131 $210
Cafe $25 $32 $18 $25
Coworking space $95 $151 $96 $130
Mobile internet $11 $27 $16 $7
Public transportation $9 $55 $21 $33
Taxis $9 $21 $14 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $14 $49 $0 $16
Sport and cultural events $24 $19 $8 $55
Museums and sights $4 $15 $9 $26
Nightlife $23 $43 $73 $54
Gym $14 $36 $15 $31
Yoga $19 $56 $54 $40
Massage $10 $30 $20 $32
SIM card options Movistar, Claro, Personal MTN, Vodacom Claro, Tigo Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 10% at restaurants and cafรฉs is common, not common at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 10% in restaurants 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber (not official), Cabify, BA Taxi (Spanish only) Uber, Bolt EasyTaxi Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not 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. A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common.
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 Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
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 Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food 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.
Vegetarian / vegan options 79 options on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 153 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow