Austin vs Istanbul vs Mexico City vs Playa del Carmen

Austin ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 926,426 15,520,000 8,850,000 259,453
Official language(s) English (de facto) Turkish Spanish Spanish
Level of English Very high Low Moderate Moderate
Main airport Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Istanbul Airport (IST) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit March - May, September - November April - June, September and October March - May, October, November January - May, October - December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted in most places Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $3484 $659 $1867 $2143
Rent $1650 $354 $778 $923
Groceries $243 $44 $281 $127
Dining out $396 $81 $182 $207
Cafe $66 $18 $49 $42
Coworking space $331 $49 $159 $160
Mobile internet $40 $3 $25 $21
Public transportation $110 $6 $11 $17
Taxis $73 $6 $9 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $96 $2 $24 $49
Sport and cultural events $54 $11 $81 $97
Museums and sights $11 $15 $20 $217
Nightlife $124 $22 $64 $77
Gym $62 $9 $69 $42
Yoga $139 $23 $65 $54
Massage $89 $15 $51 $101
SIM card options AT&T, T-Mobile. Turkcell, Turk Telekom Telcel, Movistar Telcel, Movistar
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft BiTaksi Uber N/A
Tap water Drinkable Not 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. A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish 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
Local food specialities Frito pie, queso, apple pie, kolaches, BBQ ribs, tacos Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
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 Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 30 options on HappyCow 59 listings on Happy Cow 279 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow