Cape Town ๐ฟ๐ฆ
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Chiang Mai ๐น๐ญ
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Lviv ๐บ๐ฆ
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Playa del Carmen ๐ฒ๐ฝ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐ง๐ท
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Population | 4,617,560 | 1,166,978 | 731,387 | 259,453 | 6,718,903 |
Official language(s) | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Thai | Ukrainian | Spanish | Portuguese |
Level of English | Very high | Low | Low | Moderate | Low |
Main airport | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) | Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) | Cancun International Airport (CUN) | Galeรฃo International Airport |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | November - April | May - September | January - May, October - December | January - March, December |
Currency | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) | UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โด) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) | BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | Yes | No |
Average monthly costs | $1549 | $974 | $922 | $2143 | $1833 |
Rent | $618 | $274 | $400 | $923 | $1066 |
Groceries | $129 | $169 | $91 | $127 | $95 |
Dining out | $269 | $108 | $151 | $207 | $210 |
Cafe | $32 | $45 | $21 | $42 | $25 |
Coworking space | $151 | $95 | $79 | $160 | $130 |
Mobile internet | $27 | $11 | $4 | $21 | $7 |
Public transportation | $55 | $60 | $5 | $17 | $33 |
Taxis | $21 | $20 | $12 | $9 | $14 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $49 | $10 | $16 | $49 | $16 |
Sport and cultural events | $19 | $8 | $13 | $97 | $55 |
Museums and sights | $15 | $8 | $9 | $217 | $26 |
Nightlife | $43 | $62 | $43 | $77 | $54 |
Gym | $36 | $41 | $22 | $42 | $31 |
Yoga | $56 | $55 | $30 | $54 | $40 |
Massage | $30 | $10 | $27 | $101 | $32 |
SIM card options | MTN, Vodacom | AIS, DTAC | Vodafone, Kyivstar | Telcel, Movistar | Tim, Claro, Vivo |
Tipping | 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere | 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere | 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere | 10-15% for restaurants | 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common |
Taxi apps | Uber, Bolt | Grab | Uber, Uklon | N/A | Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber |
Tap water | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable |
Overall cuisine | 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. | Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables. | Slavic. Emphasis on frilled meats combined with potatoes, carrots, pickles and cabbage. Creamy deserts often elaborated with cottage cheese. Lviv enjoys culinary influences from Kiev (traditional with an emphasis on chicken) and Odessa (various seafood dishes). | Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices | 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 | Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow | Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua | Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky | Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole | Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. |
Eat like a local | Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets | Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food | Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries | Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's | 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 | 24 options on HappyCow | 90 options on HappyCow | 9 options on HappyCow | 72 listings on Happy Cow | 54 options on Happy Cow |