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Cape Town 🇿🇦
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New York City 🇺🇸
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Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Seoul 🇰🇷
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| Population | 4,617,560 | 8,323,340 | 259,453 | 6,718,903 | 9,963,452 |
| Official language(s) | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | English (de facto) | Spanish | Portuguese | Korean |
| Level of English | Very high | Very high | Moderate | Low | Moderate |
| Main airport | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) | Cancun International Airport (CUN) | Galeão International Airport | Incheon International Airport (ICN) |
| Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | April - June, September - November | January - May, October - December | January - March, December | March - May, September - November |
| Currency | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | USD - US Dollar ($) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) | BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) | KRW - South Korean won (₩) |
| Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted everywhere | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted everywhere | Accepted everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Average monthly costs | $1549 | $5431 | $2143 | $1833 | $2184 |
| Rent | $618 | $2891 | $923 | $1066 | $797 |
| Groceries | $129 | $383 | $127 | $95 | $356 |
| Dining out | $269 | $656 | $207 | $210 | $211 |
| Cafe | $32 | $72 | $42 | $25 | $69 |
| Coworking space | $151 | $326 | $160 | $130 | $222 |
| Mobile internet | $27 | $45 | $21 | $7 | $40 |
| Public transportation | $55 | $220 | $17 | $33 | $40 |
| Taxis | $21 | $78 | $9 | $14 | $41 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $49 | $30 | $49 | $16 | $13 |
| Sport and cultural events | $19 | $100 | $97 | $55 | $39 |
| Museums and sights | $15 | $74 | $217 | $26 | $6 |
| Nightlife | $43 | $195 | $77 | $54 | $93 |
| Gym | $36 | $55 | $42 | $31 | $69 |
| Yoga | $56 | $197 | $54 | $40 | $112 |
| Massage | $30 | $109 | $101 | $32 | $75 |
| SIM card options | MTN, Vodacom | AT&T, Verizon | Telcel, Movistar | Tim, Claro, Vivo | KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus |
| Tipping | 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere | 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars | 10-15% for restaurants | 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common | Not customary or expected |
| Taxi apps | Uber, Bolt | Uber, Lyft | N/A | Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber | Uber, Kakao |
| Tap water | Not drinkable | Drinkable | Not 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 sautéed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. | American. Emphasis on comfort and fast food, with some good seafood dishes. Influence from other regions of the US, North America and the world make NYC a cosmopolitan and international cuisine hub that is incredibly diverse. | Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices | 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 | Pizza, clam chowder, bagels, corned beef, pastrami, cheesecake, hot dogs, and hundred of other international food options. | Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole | 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 | Delis, local pizza shops, street food stalls and food trucks, food markets, local bakeries and smaller, authentic international cuisine restaurants | Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's | 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 | 309 options on HappyCow | 72 listings on Happy Cow | 54 options on Happy Cow | 57 options on Happy Cow |