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Austin 🇺🇸
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Mexico City 🇲🇽
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Playa del Carmen 🇲🇽
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| Population | 926,426 | 8,850,000 | 259,453 |
| Official language(s) | English (de facto) | Spanish | Spanish |
| Level of English | Very high | Moderate | Moderate |
| Main airport | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | Mexico City International Airport (MEX) | Cancun International Airport (CUN) |
| Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | March - May, October, November | January - May, October - December |
| Currency | USD - US Dollar ($) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) |
| Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere | Widely accepted (less with AMEX) | Accepted almost everywhere |
| Remote worker visa | No | Yes | Yes |
| Average monthly costs | $3484 | $1867 | $2143 |
| Rent | $1650 | $778 | $923 |
| Groceries | $243 | $281 | $127 |
| Dining out | $396 | $182 | $207 |
| Cafe | $66 | $49 | $42 |
| Coworking space | $331 | $159 | $160 |
| Mobile internet | $40 | $25 | $21 |
| Public transportation | $110 | $11 | $17 |
| Taxis | $73 | $9 | $9 |
| Shared bicycles and scooters | $96 | $24 | $49 |
| Sport and cultural events | $54 | $81 | $97 |
| Museums and sights | $11 | $20 | $217 |
| Nightlife | $124 | $64 | $77 |
| Gym | $62 | $69 | $42 |
| Yoga | $139 | $65 | $54 |
| Massage | $89 | $51 | $101 |
| SIM card options | AT&T, T-Mobile. | Telcel, Movistar | Telcel, Movistar |
| Tipping | 15-20% at restaurants, 1USD or more per drink at cafes and bars | 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services | 10-15% for restaurants |
| Taxi apps | Uber, Lyft | Uber | N/A |
| Tap water | 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. | 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 | 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 | Markets, food stalls, menú del día (cheap set lunch menus) | Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's |
| Vegetarian / vegan options | 30 options on HappyCow | 279 listings on Happy Cow | 72 listings on Happy Cow |