Cape Town vs Chiang Mai vs Larnaca vs Playa del Carmen vs Porto vs Prague vs Sofia

	Cape Town 🇿🇦 Remove	Chiang Mai 🇹🇭 Remove	Larnaca 🇨🇾 Remove	Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽 Remove	Porto 🇵🇹 Remove	Prague 🇨🇿 Remove	Sofia 🇧🇬 Remove
Population	4,617,560	1,166,978	144,900	259,453	237,559	1,305,737	1,270,169
Official language(s)	Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English	Thai	Greek	Spanish	Portuguese	Czech	Bulgarian
Level of English	Very high	Low	High	Moderate	Very High	High	High
Main airport	Cape Town International Airport (CPT)	Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)	Larnaca International Airport (LCA)	Cancun International Airport (CUN)	Francisco Sá Carneiro International Airport (OPO)	Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG)	Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Most common months to visit	March - May, September - November	November - April	March - May, October - December	January - May, October - December	May - September	June - October	April-June, September-October
Currency	ZAR - South African Rand (R)	THB - Thai Baht (฿)	EUR - Euro (€)	MXN - Mexican Peso ($)	EUR - Euro (€)	CZK - Czech Koruna (Kč)	BGN - Bulgarian Lev (лв)
Credit cards	Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops	Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places.	Accepted everywhere	Accepted almost everywhere	Accepted everywhere	Accepted most places (some places are cash only)	Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Average monthly costs	$1549	$974	$1959	$2143	$1759	$1806	$1289
Rent	$618	$274	$678	$923	$717	$780	$567
Groceries	$129	$169	$157	$127	$148	$158	$10
Dining out	$269	$108	$261	$207	$280	$240	$227
Cafe	$32	$45	$56	$42	$45	$53	$27
Coworking space	$151	$95	$209	$160	$96	$175	$140
Mobile internet	$27	$11	$35	$21	$21	$24	$10
Public transportation	$55	$60	$63	$17	$95	$61	$30
Taxis	$21	$20	$42	$9	$25	$33	$12
Shared bicycles and scooters	$49	$10	$45	$49	$10	$19	$40
Sport and cultural events	$19	$8	$28	$97	$45	$19	$18
Museums and sights	$15	$8	$8	$217	$24	$35	$12
Nightlife	$43	$62	$110	$77	$66	$50	$82
Gym	$36	$41	$107	$42	$56	$56	$23
Yoga	$56	$55	$105	$54	$82	$66	$62
Massage	$30	$10	$54	$101	$48	$37	$29
SIM card options	MTN, Vodacom	AIS, DTAC	Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN	Telcel, Movistar	Vodafone, MEO, NOS	Vodafone, T-Mobile	A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Tipping	10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere	10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere	10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars	10-15% for restaurants	5-10% at restaurants if happy with service, not expected at cafes or bars	10% at restaurants and bars, round up elsewhere	10% in restaurants, 1-2 BGN at bars and cafés
Taxi apps	Uber, Bolt	Grab	nTaxi	N/A	Uber, MyTaxi, Cabify	Uber, Liftago	TaxiMe, TaxiStars
Tap water	Not drinkable	Not drinkable	Not drinkable	Not drinkable	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 sautéed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals.	Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables.	Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well..	Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices	A variety of meats often mixed with fresh legumes and vegetables. Emphasis on rich seafood dishes and creamy desserts.	Thick soups are often combined with stewed vegetables and baked meats to produce rich dishes. Gravies and creams are popular in Czech cuisine, as is beer!	Vegetables and mild spices are often mixed with dairy products to create rich chicken and pork products. Seafood dishes also popular in some regions of the country, making them popular in the capital.
Local food specialities	Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow	Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua	Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka	Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole	Bacalhau, Alheira de Mirandela, Francesinha, queido da serra da estrela, tripas a moda do Oporto, pasteis de chaves, tarte de amendoa	Vepřo knedlo zelo, Česnečka, Guláš, Svíčková na smetaně, Ovocné Knedlíky.	Kebapche, Bulgarian musaka, lyutenitsa, shkember chorba, kyufte, kavarma, banitsa and tarator
Eat like a local	Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets	Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food	Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too.	Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's	Local taverns, terraces, markets, tascas, churrascarias and local sports bars	Pubs and taverns, street food stalls, local cafés	Taverns, local BBQ restaurants, local markets and smaller eateries in residential and university areas.
Vegetarian / vegan options	24 options on HappyCow	90 options on HappyCow	14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available	72 listings on Happy Cow	46 options on Happy Cow	112 options on HappyCow	20 options on HappyCow