Istanbul vs Larnaca vs Lisbon vs Medellin vs Playa del Carmen

Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Larnaca ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ
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Lisbon ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 15,520,000 144,900 517,000 2,427,000 259,453
Official language(s) Turkish Greek Portuguese Spanish Spanish
Level of English Low High Very high Low Moderate
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Larnaca International Airport (LCA) Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October March - May, October - December March - May, September, October January - April, December January - May, October - December
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) EUR - Euro (โ‚ฌ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere (less for AMEX) Accepted in some places Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes No Yes
Average monthly costs $659 $1959 $1984 $1293 $2143
Rent $354 $678 $965 $732 $923
Groceries $44 $157 $136 $87 $127
Dining out $81 $261 $271 $131 $207
Cafe $18 $56 $37 $18 $42
Coworking space $49 $209 $164 $96 $160
Mobile internet $3 $35 $24 $16 $21
Public transportation $6 $63 $63 $21 $17
Taxis $6 $42 $27 $14 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $45 $18 $0 $49
Sport and cultural events $11 $28 $29 $8 $97
Museums and sights $15 $8 $24 $9 $217
Nightlife $22 $110 $47 $73 $77
Gym $9 $107 $65 $15 $42
Yoga $23 $105 $65 $54 $54
Massage $15 $54 $50 $20 $101
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Primetel, Cytamobile-Vodafone and Epic/MTN Vodafone Claro, Tigo Telcel, Movistar
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs and bars 10% usually added and expected at restaurants, round up at bars 5-10% for restaurants, not common at bars Tip 10% in restaurants 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps BiTaksi nTaxi Uber, FreeNow EasyTaxi N/A
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine A fusion of cultures creates diverse dishes with bulgur, koftes, stews, eggplants and fish Mediterranean style with emphasis on seafood, meats, olives, cheesed and traditional sauces. Some food with Middle Eastern influences as well.. Fresh seafood, meats, soup, sausages and famous pastries A blend of indigenous and European traditions with rice, maize, cassava, assorted legumes, and meats Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices
Local food specialities Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, Turkish delight Souvlaki, sheftalia, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, koukepia and moussaka Bacalhau ร  bras, sardinhas, petiscos, leitรฃo, polvo ร  lagareiro, pasteis de nata, bifana Bandeja paisa, ajiaco, mondongo, empanada, and arepa Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
Eat like a local Traditional breakfasts, street stalls for simit, lahmacun and kokorec, Turkish coffee Opt for smaller, outside eateries and taverns serving traditional foods. Fast food kebab shops and falafel bars offer authentic options, too. Tascas, snack bars, seafood restaurants Street stalls for empanada and arepa with cheese, restaurants for traditional Colombian food Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 59 listings on Happy Cow 14 options on HappyCow, but non-meat Mediterranean/Middle Eastern options are always available 401 listings on Happy Cow 153 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow