|
Cape Town 🇿🇦
|
Lisbon 🇵🇹
|
Medellin 🇨🇴
|
Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽
|
Ubud 🇮🇩
|
|
| Population | 4,617,560 | 517,000 | 2,427,000 | 259,453 | 112,490 |
| Official language(s) | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Portuguese | Spanish | Spanish | Indonesian and Balinese |
| Level of English | Very high | Very high | Low | Moderate | Low |
| Main airport | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) | José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) | Cancun International Airport (CUN) | Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPA) |
| Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | March - May, September, October | January - April, December | January - May, October - December | May - October |
| Currency | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | EUR - Euro (€) | COP - Colombian Peso ($) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) | IDR - Indonesian Rupiah (Rp) |
| Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) | Accepted in some places | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted in some places |
| Remote worker visa | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Average monthly costs | $1549 | $1984 | $1293 | $2143 | $1363 |
| Rent | $618 | $965 | $732 | $923 | $658 |
| Groceries | $129 | $136 | $87 | $127 | $150 |
| Dining out | $269 | $271 | $131 | $207 | $10 |
| Cafe | $32 | $37 | $18 | $42 | $28 |
| Coworking space | $151 | $164 | $96 | $160 | $106 |
| Mobile internet | $27 | $24 | $16 | $21 | $3 |
| Public transportation | $55 | $63 | $21 | $17 | $53 |
| Taxis | $21 | $27 | $14 | $9 | $13 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $49 | $18 | $0 | $49 | $33 |
| Sport and cultural events | $19 | $29 | $8 | $97 | $14 |
| Museums and sights | $15 | $24 | $9 | $217 | $9 |
| Nightlife | $43 | $47 | $73 | $77 | $118 |
| Gym | $36 | $65 | $15 | $42 | $72 |
| Yoga | $56 | $65 | $54 | $54 | $87 |
| Massage | $30 | $50 | $20 | $101 | $10 |
| SIM card options | MTN, Vodacom | Vodafone | Claro, Tigo | Telcel, Movistar | Telkomsel, XL Axiata |
| Tipping | 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere | 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars | Tip 10% in restaurants | 10-15% for restaurants | Tip 5 - 10% in restaurants if service charge is not included in the bill |
| Taxi apps | Uber, Bolt | Uber, FreeNow | EasyTaxi | N/A | Grab, GoJek |
| Tap water | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Not drinkable | Not 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. | Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries | A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats | Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices | Balinese foods revolve on the complex flavors from certain ingredients like fresh vegetables, meat, coconut milk, and time-tested spices mixture. |
| Local food specialities | Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow | Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana | Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa | Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole | Satay, nasi goreng, gado-gado, martabak, bubur sumsum |
| Eat like a local | Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets | Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants | Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food | Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's | Warung for authentic babi guling and bebek betutu, cafes for kopi luwak, street stalls for pisang goreng, nasi campur, and sate lilit |
| Vegetarian / vegan options | 24 options on HappyCow | 401 listings on Happy Cow | 153 listings on Happy Cow | 72 listings on Happy Cow | 255 listings on Happy Cow |