Barbados vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lisbon

Barbados ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ง
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Cape Town ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Population 110,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 517,000
Official language(s) English, Bajan Creole Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese
Level of English Very high Very high Low Very high
Main airport Bridgetown/Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS)
Most common months to visit November - May March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October
Currency BBD - Barbadian dollar ($) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ)
Credit cards Accepted in some places, cash also needed for smaller businesses Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX)
Remote worker visa Yes No No Yes
Average monthly costs $2702 $1549 $659 $1984
Rent $1054 $618 $354 $965
Groceries $234 $129 $44 $136
Dining out $345 $269 $81 $271
Cafe $75 $32 $18 $37
Coworking space $321 $151 $49 $164
Mobile internet $49 $27 $3 $24
Public transportation $35 $55 $6 $63
Taxis $106 $21 $6 $27
Shared bicycles and scooters $0 $49 $2 $18
Sport and cultural events $37 $19 $11 $29
Museums and sights $36 $15 $15 $24
Nightlife $96 $43 $22 $47
Gym $86 $36 $9 $65
Yoga $130 $56 $23 $65
Massage $99 $30 $15 $50
SIM card options Digicel MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone
Tipping 10 - 15% usually included in restaurants, add 10 - 15% at bars 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps None available Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Bajan cuisine features an eclectic mix of European, Asian, and Caribbean styles resulting in bold, tasty and crunchy meat or fish dishes with lots of spices, lime juice, thyme and salads laden with local vegetables and hot side dishes. 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 fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries
Local food specialities Cou-cou and flying fish, fish cakes, cutters, pudding and souse, macaroni pie, conkies, Bajan black cake, sea eggs Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana
Eat like a local Food trucks, pubs, seaside street food, roadside carts, local seafood restaurants, smaller traditional restaurants and rum shops Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants
Vegetarian / vegan options 14 options on HappyCow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow