Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Rio de Janeiro vs Seoul

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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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 4,617,560 15,520,000 517,000 6,718,903 9,963,452
Official language(s) Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese Portuguese Korean
Level of English Very high Low Very high Low Moderate
Main airport Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Galeรฃo International Airport Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October January - March, December March - May, September - November
Currency ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No No
Average monthly costs $1549 $659 $1984 $1833 $2184
Rent $618 $354 $965 $1066 $797
Groceries $129 $44 $136 $95 $356
Dining out $269 $81 $271 $210 $211
Cafe $32 $18 $37 $25 $69
Coworking space $151 $49 $164 $130 $222
Mobile internet $27 $3 $24 $7 $40
Public transportation $55 $6 $63 $33 $40
Taxis $21 $6 $27 $14 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $49 $2 $18 $16 $13
Sport and cultural events $19 $11 $29 $55 $39
Museums and sights $15 $15 $24 $26 $6
Nightlife $43 $22 $47 $54 $93
Gym $36 $9 $65 $31 $69
Yoga $56 $23 $65 $40 $112
Massage $30 $15 $50 $32 $75
SIM card options MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Tim, Claro, Vivo KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
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% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common Not customary or expected
Taxi apps Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber Uber, Kakao
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable 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 Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. Emphasis on rice, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture.
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 Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam
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 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. Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets
Vegetarian / vegan options 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow