Cape Town ๐ฟ๐ฆ
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Chiang Mai ๐น๐ญ
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Sofia ๐ง๐ฌ
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Tbilisi ๐ฌ๐ช
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Ubud ๐ฎ๐ฉ
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Population | 4,617,560 | 1,166,978 | 1,270,169 | 1,108,700 | 112,490 |
Official language(s) | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Thai | Bulgarian | Georgian | Indonesian and Balinese |
Level of English | Very high | Low | High | Low | Low |
Main airport | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) | Sofia International Airport (SOF) | Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) | Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPA) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | November - April | April-June, September-October | March - June | May - October |
Currency | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) | BGN - Bulgarian Lev (ะปะฒ) | GEL - Georgian Lari (โพ) | IDR - Indonesian Rupiah (Rp) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted in some places |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $1549 | $974 | $1289 | $1462 | $1363 |
Rent | $618 | $274 | $567 | $752 | $658 |
Groceries | $129 | $169 | $10 | $112 | $150 |
Dining out | $269 | $108 | $227 | $169 | $10 |
Cafe | $32 | $45 | $27 | $45 | $28 |
Coworking space | $151 | $95 | $140 | $125 | $106 |
Mobile internet | $27 | $11 | $10 | $4 | $3 |
Public transportation | $55 | $60 | $30 | $8 | $53 |
Taxis | $21 | $20 | $12 | $14 | $13 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $49 | $10 | $40 | $27 | $33 |
Sport and cultural events | $19 | $8 | $18 | $21 | $14 |
Museums and sights | $15 | $8 | $12 | $9 | $9 |
Nightlife | $43 | $62 | $82 | $53 | $118 |
Gym | $36 | $41 | $23 | $33 | $72 |
Yoga | $56 | $55 | $62 | $37 | $87 |
Massage | $30 | $10 | $29 | $53 | $10 |
SIM card options | MTN, Vodacom | AIS, DTAC | A1, Telenor, Vivacom | Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline | Telkomsel, XL Axiata |
Tipping | 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere | 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere | 10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafรฉs | 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafรฉs. | Tip 5 - 10% in restaurants if service charge is not included in the bill |
Taxi apps | Uber, Bolt | Grab | TaxiMe, TaxiStars | Yandex, Bolt | Grab, GoJek |
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. | Vegetables and mild spices are often mixed with dairy products to create rich chicken and pork products. Seafood dishes also popular in some regions of the country, making them popular in the capital. | Cuisine of the Caucasus meets regional diversity in Georgia. Emphasis on spices and meats (poultry, beef, pork and mutton) as well as soups and creams. | Balinese foods revolve on the complex flavors from certain ingredients like fresh vegetables, meat, coconut milk, and time-tested spices mixture. |
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 | Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator | Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli | Satay, nasi goreng, gado-gado, martabak, bubur sumsum |
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 | Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas. | Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars | Warung for authentic babi guling and bebek betutu, cafes for kopi luwak, street stalls for pisang goreng, nasi campur, and sate lilit |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 24 options on HappyCow | 90 options on HappyCow | 20 options on HappyCow | 10 options on Happy Cow | 255 listings on Happy Cow |