Bucharest vs Cape Town vs Istanbul vs Rio de Janeiro vs Tbilisi

Bucharest 🇷🇴
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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Tbilisi 🇬🇪
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Population 1,830,000 4,617,560 15,520,000 6,718,903 1,108,700
Official language(s) Romanian Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English Turkish Portuguese Georgian
Level of English High Very high Low Low Low
Main airport Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Istanbul Airport (IST) Galeão International Airport Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)
Most common months to visit April - October March - May, September - November April - June, September and October January - March, December March - June
Currency RON - Romanian Leu (L) ZAR - South African Rand (R) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) GEL - Georgian Lari (₾)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No No Yes
Average monthly costs $1351 $1549 $659 $1833 $1462
Rent $615 $618 $354 $1066 $752
Groceries $114 $129 $44 $95 $112
Dining out $165 $269 $81 $210 $169
Cafe $38 $32 $18 $25 $45
Coworking space $133 $151 $49 $130 $125
Mobile internet $7 $27 $3 $7 $4
Public transportation $21 $55 $6 $33 $8
Taxis $9 $21 $6 $14 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $25 $49 $2 $16 $27
Sport and cultural events $29 $19 $11 $55 $21
Museums and sights $29 $15 $15 $26 $9
Nightlife $45 $43 $22 $54 $53
Gym $30 $36 $9 $31 $33
Yoga $59 $56 $23 $40 $37
Massage $31 $30 $15 $32 $53
SIM card options Vodafone, Orange MTN, Vodacom Turkcell, Turk Telekom Tim, Claro, Vivo Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline
Tipping 5% - 10% at restaurants, 5% - 10% tip for services is appreciated but not expected, round up for taxis 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafés.
Taxi apps Star Taxi, Uber Uber, Bolt BiTaksi Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber Yandex, Bolt
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Wide range of meat and fish dishes, soups, salads and cheeses influenced by German, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek and Ukrainian 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 sautéed 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 Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common. 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.
Local food specialities Sarmale, mămăligă, mici, ciolan cu fasole, ciorbă de burtă, covrig, papanasi Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros. Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli
Eat like a local Set lunch menus, cafe terraces, cofeterias 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 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. Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars
Vegetarian / vegan options 33 listings on Happy Cow 24 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 10 options on Happy Cow