Hanoi vs Istanbul vs Medellin vs Mexico City vs Playa del Carmen vs Rio de Janeiro vs Seoul

Hanoi 🇻🇳
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Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Medellin 🇨🇴
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Mexico 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 8,053,663 15,520,000 2,427,000 8,850,000 259,453 6,718,903 9,963,452
Official language(s) Vietnamese Turkish Spanish Spanish Spanish Portuguese Korean
Level of English Moderate Low Low Moderate Moderate Low Moderate
Main airport Nội Bài International Airport (HAN) Istanbul Airport (IST) José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Galeão International Airport Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Most common months to visit January, February, October - December April - June, September and October January - April, December March - May, October, November January - May, October - December January - March, December March - May, September - November
Currency VND - Vietnamese Dong (₫) TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) COP - Colombian Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$) KRW - South Korean won (₩)
Credit cards Accepted in some places. Cash often preferred. Accepted in most places Accepted in some places Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No No Yes Yes No No
Average monthly costs $1167 $659 $1293 $1867 $2143 $1833 $2184
Rent $503 $354 $732 $778 $923 $1066 $797
Groceries $151 $44 $87 $281 $127 $95 $356
Dining out $134 $81 $131 $182 $207 $210 $211
Cafe $39 $18 $18 $49 $42 $25 $69
Coworking space $72 $49 $96 $159 $160 $130 $222
Mobile internet $4 $3 $16 $25 $21 $7 $40
Public transportation $20 $6 $21 $11 $17 $33 $40
Taxis $13 $6 $14 $9 $9 $14 $41
Shared bicycles and scooters $0 $2 $0 $24 $49 $16 $13
Sport and cultural events $3 $11 $8 $81 $97 $55 $39
Museums and sights $4 $15 $9 $20 $217 $26 $6
Nightlife $89 $22 $73 $64 $77 $54 $93
Gym $57 $9 $15 $69 $42 $31 $69
Yoga $57 $23 $54 $65 $54 $40 $112
Massage $21 $15 $20 $51 $101 $32 $75
SIM card options Viettel, Mobifone Turkcell, Turk Telekom Claro, Tigo Telcel, Movistar Telcel, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus
Tipping Not required but appreciated, especially in taxis, restaurants and bars. Round up or add 10%. Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars Tip 10% in restaurants 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 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 Grab, GoViet BiTaksi EasyTaxi Uber N/A Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber Uber, Kakao
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine A mix of French, Southeast Asian and Chinese with lots of fresh herbs and spices. Northern Vietnam cuisine includes a lot of fish and noodles. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese 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 Pho, cha ca, Vietnamese coffee, pastries and breads Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas 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 Noodle Houses, Bakeries, Coffee and Tea Houses, street food Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Markets, food stalls, menú del día (cheap set lunch menus) 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 104 listings on Happy Cow 59 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow 57 options on Happy Cow