Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Playa del Carmen

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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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 4,617,560 15,520,000 517,000 259,453
Official language(s) Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese Spanish
Level of English Very high Low Very high Moderate
Main airport Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October January - May, October - December
Currency ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $1549 $659 $1984 $2143
Rent $618 $354 $965 $923
Groceries $129 $44 $136 $127
Dining out $269 $81 $271 $207
Cafe $32 $18 $37 $42
Coworking space $151 $49 $164 $160
Mobile internet $27 $3 $24 $21
Public transportation $55 $6 $63 $17
Taxis $21 $6 $27 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $49 $2 $18 $49
Sport and cultural events $19 $11 $29 $97
Museums and sights $15 $15 $24 $217
Nightlife $43 $22 $47 $77
Gym $36 $9 $65 $42
Yoga $56 $23 $65 $54
Massage $30 $15 $50 $101
SIM card options MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar
Tipping 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow N/A
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable 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. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices
Local food specialities 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 Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
Eat like a local 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 Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow