Buenos Aires ๐ฆ๐ท
|
Cape Town ๐ฟ๐ฆ
|
Medellin ๐จ๐ด
|
Rio de Janeiro ๐ง๐ท
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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 |