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

Istanbul ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
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Medellin ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Rio de Janeiro ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท
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Population 15,520,000 2,427,000 8,850,000 259,453 6,718,903
Official language(s) Turkish Spanish Spanish Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Low Low Moderate Moderate Low
Main airport Istanbul Airport (IST) Josรฉ Marรญa Cรณrdova International Airport (MDE) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Galeรฃo International Airport
Most common months to visit April - June, September and October January - April, December March - May, October, November January - May, October - December January - March, December
Currency TRY - Turkish Lira (โ‚บ) COP - Colombian Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted in most places Accepted in some places Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $659 $1293 $1867 $2143 $1833
Rent $354 $732 $778 $923 $1066
Groceries $44 $87 $281 $127 $95
Dining out $81 $131 $182 $207 $210
Cafe $18 $18 $49 $42 $25
Coworking space $49 $96 $159 $160 $130
Mobile internet $3 $16 $25 $21 $7
Public transportation $6 $21 $11 $17 $33
Taxis $6 $14 $9 $9 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $2 $0 $24 $49 $16
Sport and cultural events $11 $8 $81 $97 $55
Museums and sights $15 $9 $20 $217 $26
Nightlife $22 $73 $64 $77 $54
Gym $9 $15 $69 $42 $31
Yoga $23 $54 $65 $54 $40
Massage $15 $20 $51 $101 $32
SIM card options Turkcell, Turk Telekom Claro, Tigo Telcel, Movistar Telcel, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping Tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafรฉs 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
Taxi apps BiTaksi EasyTaxi Uber N/A Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine 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.
Local food specialities Dรถner, ฤฐรงli Kรถfte, Dondurma, Karnฤฑyarฤฑk, 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.
Eat like a local 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, menรบ del dรญa (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.
Vegetarian / vegan options 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