Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Seoul vs Valencia

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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Seoul ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
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Valencia ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Population 4,617,560 15,520,000 517,000 9,963,452 834,000
Official language(s) Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese Korean Spanish, Valencian
Level of English Very high Low Very high Moderate Moderate
Main airport Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Incheon International Airport (ICN) Valencia Manises Airport (VLC)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, September - November March - June, September, October
Currency ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) KRW - South Korean won (โ‚ฉ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ)
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 almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $1549 $659 $1984 $2184 $1976
Rent $618 $354 $965 $797 $869
Groceries $129 $44 $136 $356 $146
Dining out $269 $81 $271 $211 $292
Cafe $32 $18 $37 $69 $42
Coworking space $151 $49 $164 $222 $152
Mobile internet $27 $3 $24 $40 $16
Public transportation $55 $6 $63 $40 $38
Taxis $21 $6 $27 $41 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $49 $2 $18 $13 $30
Sport and cultural events $19 $11 $29 $39 $73
Museums and sights $15 $15 $24 $6 $44
Nightlife $43 $22 $47 $93 $66
Gym $36 $9 $65 $69 $34
Yoga $56 $23 $65 $112 $87
Massage $30 $15 $50 $75 $45
SIM card options MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus Vodafone, Orange
Tipping 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Not customary or expected Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber, Kakao Cabify, FreeNow
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable 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, vegetables, spices and meats. Main dishes are coupled with diverse side dishes and desserts. Strong driking culture. Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats
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 Kimchi, bulgogi, chap chae, mandu, sam gae tang, bossam Paella, fideuร , esgarrat, orxata, bunyols
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 Smaller, local eateries (sikdang), street stalls and local markets Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches)
Vegetarian / vegan options 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow 98 listings on Happy Cow