New York City vs Panama City vs Playa del Carmen vs Rio de Janeiro

New York City ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
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Panama City ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ
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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 8,323,340 880,691 259,453 6,718,903
Official language(s) English (de facto) Spanish Spanish Portuguese
Level of English Very high Low Moderate Low
Main airport John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Tocumen International Airport (PTY) Cancun International Airport (CUN) Galeรฃo International Airport
Most common months to visit April - June, September - November December - April January - May, October - December January - March, December
Currency USD - US Dollar ($) PAB - Panamanian Balboa (B/.) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) BRL - Brazilian Real (R$)
Credit cards Accepted everywhere Accepted almost everywhere but not in smaller shops. Accepted almost everywhere Accepted everywhere
Remote worker visa No Yes Yes No
Average monthly costs $5431 $2359 $2143 $1833
Rent $2891 $1036 $923 $1066
Groceries $383 $236 $127 $95
Dining out $656 $371 $207 $210
Cafe $72 $43 $42 $25
Coworking space $326 $157 $160 $130
Mobile internet $45 $21 $21 $7
Public transportation $220 $12 $17 $33
Taxis $78 $48 $9 $14
Shared bicycles and scooters $30 $0 $49 $16
Sport and cultural events $100 $35 $97 $55
Museums and sights $74 $9 $217 $26
Nightlife $195 $117 $77 $54
Gym $55 $37 $42 $31
Yoga $197 $163 $54 $40
Massage $109 $75 $101 $32
SIM card options AT&T, Verizon Claro, Movistar Telcel, Movistar Tim, Claro, Vivo
Tipping 15-20% at restaurants, 1 USD per drink at bars 10% in restaurants, round up elsewhere 10-15% for restaurants 10% usually included in restaurants, 10% at bars and cafes with table service is common
Taxi apps Uber, Lyft Uber, Tu Chofer N/A Easy Taxi, 99 Taxi, Uber
Tap water Drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine American. Emphasis on comfort and fast food, with some good seafood dishes. Influence from other regions of the US, North America and the world make NYC a cosmopolitan and international cuisine hub that is incredibly diverse. Latin American. Emphasis on rice, beans, coconut, and local fruits and vegetables. Pork and beef are regularly used and influence from the islands gives seafood dishes a prominent spot in Panamanian cuisine. 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 Pizza, clam chowder, bagels, corned beef, pastrami, cheesecake, hot dogs, and hundred of other international food options. Sancocho de gallina, carimanola, empanadas, tamales panameรฑos, tostones, ropa vieja 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 Delis, local pizza shops, street food stalls and food trucks, food markets, local bakeries and smaller, authentic international cuisine restaurants Fondas (roadside stalls), smaller local restaurants, local markets, food trucks 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 309 options on HappyCow 7 options on HappyCow 72 listings on Happy Cow 54 options on Happy Cow