Austin vs Istanbul vs Lisbon vs Mexico City vs Valencia

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Valencia ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Population 926,426 15,520,000 517,000 8,850,000 834,000
Official language(s) English (de facto) Turkish Portuguese Spanish Spanish, Valencian
Level of English Very high Low Very high Moderate Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Istanbul Airport (IST) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Valencia Manises Airport (VLC)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, September, October March - May, October, November March - June, September, October
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $659 $1984 $1867 $1976
Rent $1650 $354 $965 $778 $869
Groceries $243 $44 $136 $281 $146
Dining out $396 $81 $271 $182 $292
Cafe $66 $18 $37 $49 $42
Coworking space $331 $49 $164 $159 $152
Mobile internet $40 $3 $24 $25 $16
Public transportation $110 $6 $63 $11 $38
Taxis $73 $6 $27 $9 $42
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $2 $18 $24 $30
Sport and cultural events $54 $11 $29 $81 $73
Museums and sights $11 $15 $24 $20 $44
Nightlife $124 $22 $47 $64 $66
Gym $62 $9 $65 $69 $34
Yoga $139 $23 $65 $65 $87
Massage $89 $15 $50 $51 $45
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Turkcell, Turk Telekom Vodafone Telcel, Movistar Vodafone, Orange
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services Round up for good service at restaurants, not common at bars
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft BiTaksi Uber, FreeNow Uber Cabify, FreeNow
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable
Overall cuisine Emphasis on barbecued meats (beef and pork) as well as corn-based dishes and tex-mex, and rich American-style desserts. 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 Mediterranean style using vegetables, seafoods and meats
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Paella, fideuร , esgarrat, orxata, bunyols
Eat like a local Local tex-mex restaurants, lunch BBQ joints, taquerias, food trucks, local breweries Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Tapas bars, markets, menu del dia (cheap set lunches)
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 401 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 98 listings on Happy Cow