Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Mexico City vs Panama City vs Rio de Janeiro

Istanbul 🇹🇷
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Lisbon 🇵🇹
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Mexico City 🇲🇽
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Panama City 🇵🇦
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Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
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Population 15,520,000 517,000 8,850,000 880,691 6,718,903
Official language(s) Turkish Portuguese Spanish Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Low Very high Moderate Low Low
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Tocumen International Airport (PTY) Galeão International Airport
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, October, November December - April January - March, December
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (₺) EUR - Euro (€) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $659 $1984 $1867 $2359 $1833
Rent $354 $965 $778 $1036 $1066
Groceries $44 $136 $281 $236 $95
Dining out $81 $271 $182 $371 $210
Cafe $18 $37 $49 $43 $25
Coworking space $49 $164 $159 $157 $130
Mobile internet $3 $24 $25 $21 $7
Public transportation $6 $63 $11 $12 $33
Taxis $6 $27 $9 $48 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $18 $24 $0 $16
Sport and cultural events $11 $29 $81 $35 $55
Museums and sights $15 $24 $20 $9 $26
Nightlife $22 $47 $64 $117 $54
Gym $9 $65 $69 $37 $31
Yoga $23 $65 $65 $163 $40
Massage $15 $50 $51 $75 $32
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar Claro, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber Uber, Tu Chofer Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese Latin American. Emphasis on rice, beans, coconut, and local fruits and vegetables. Pork and beef are regularly used and influence from the islands gives seafood dishes a prominent spot in Panamanian cuisine. 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 Döner, İçli Köfte, Dondurma, Karnıyarık, Turkish delight Bacalhau à bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitão, polvo à lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameños, tostones, ropa vieja Feijoada, bolinho de bacalhau, fried sardines, caldo verde, pao de queijo and brigadeiros.
Eat like a local Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Markets, food stalls, menú del día (cheap set lunch menus) Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks 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 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 7 options on HappyCow 54 options on Happy Cow