Austin vs Chiang Mai vs Lisbon vs Mexico City vs Rio de Janeiro

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 926,426 1,166,978 517,000 8,850,000 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Thai Portuguese Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Very high Low Very high Moderate Low
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Galeรฃo International Airport
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November November - April March - May, September, October March - May, October, November January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $3484 $974 $1984 $1867 $1833
Rent $1650 $274 $965 $778 $1066
Groceries $243 $169 $136 $281 $95
Dining out $396 $108 $271 $182 $210
Cafe $66 $45 $37 $49 $25
Coworking space $331 $95 $164 $159 $130
Mobile internet $40 $11 $24 $25 $7
Public transportation $110 $60 $63 $11 $33
Taxis $73 $20 $27 $9 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $10 $18 $24 $16
Sport and cultural events $54 $8 $29 $81 $55
Museums and sights $11 $8 $24 $20 $26
Nightlife $124 $62 $47 $64 $54
Gym $62 $41 $65 $69 $31
Yoga $139 $55 $65 $65 $40
Massage $89 $10 $50 $51 $32
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. AIS, DTAC Vodafone Telcel, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Grab Uber, FreeNow Uber Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. 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. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese Emphasis on rice, beans, pork and beef with a variety of root vegetables and fresh fruits. Fresh seafood is also very common.
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) 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.
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 90 options on HappyCow 401 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow