Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $560 in Bangalore versus $1,765 in Seoul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $952 in Bangalore versus $2,881 in Seoul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,344 in Bangalore versus $3,997 in Seoul.

Living in Bangalore costs roughly 68% less than in Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bangalore is 58% below, Seoul is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 ₹343

$8.73 ₩13.0K

-59.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.57 ₹1,691

$54.3 ₩80.8K

-67.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.05 ₹389

$6.47 ₩9,627

-37.40%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ₹231

$3.88 ₩5,766

-38.14%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₹43.94

$1.65 ₩2,455

-72.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.23

$0.86 ₩1,274

-81.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ₹229

$3.77 ₩5,610

-36.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 ₹381

$5.72 ₩8,517

-30.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 ₹62.4

$2.26 ₩3,369

-71.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₹59.8

$3.42 ₩5,095

-81.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₹82.6

$3.09 ₩4,604

-72.17%

Eggs

$1.04 ₹100

$3.06 ₩4,548

-66.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 ₹750

$14.51 ₩21.6K

-46.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.85 ₹370

$10.76 ₩16.0K

-64.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.54 ₩51.4K

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ₹255

$7.65 ₩11.4K

-65.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.5

$3.54 ₩5,272

-79.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₹109

$5.42 ₩8,063

-79.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹41.82

$6.49 ₩9,657

-93.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.34

$3.87 ₩5,754

-87.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ₹49.03

$2.87 ₩4,273

-82.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 ₹42.30

$2.61 ₩3,890

-83.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.90

$1.32 ₩1,960

-73.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 ₹395

$3.32 ₩4,947

23.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 ₹986

$16.50 ₩24.5K

-37.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₹204

$2.38 ₩3,547

-11.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₹319

$3.37 ₩5,015

-1.78%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$7.46 ₹718

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ₹54.7

$1.08 ₩1,601

-47.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.55 ₹1,401

$46.87 ₩69.7K

-68.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹113

$3.46 ₩5,152

-65.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹33.80

$0.57 ₩847

-38.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₹227

$9.00 ₩13.4K

-73.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹117

$1.25 ₩1,861

-2.40%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$13.8K ₹1.3M

$27.9K ₩41.6M

-50.46%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.7K ₹2.4M

$25.4K ₩37.7M

-2.63%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$34.61 ₹3,332

$160 ₩238.5K

-78.41%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.99 ₹480

$34.41 ₩51.2K

-85.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.67 ₹1,027

$22.05 ₩32.8K

-51.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.61 ₹1,791

$58.0 ₩86.2K

-67.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 ₹576

$23.44 ₩34.9K

-74.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.60 ₹443

$10.93 ₩16.3K

-57.91%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$117 ₹11.2K

$417 ₩620.8K

-72.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,283 ₹316.1K

$23.6K ₩35.1M

-86.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.50 ₹2,647

$59.2 ₩88.0K

-53.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.18 ₹2,809

$48.41 ₩72.0K

-39.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 ₹5,290

$79.9 ₩118.8K

-31.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.64 ₹3,913

$115 ₩170.9K

-64.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 ₹29.7K

$944 ₩1.4M

-67.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₹17.1K

$588 ₩874.6K

-69.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 ₹78.8K

$2,584 ₩3.8M

-68.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 ₹46.7K

$1,312 ₩2.0M

-63.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,824 ₹175.5K

$26.0K ₩38.7M

-92.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 ₹95.1K

$10.7K ₩15.9M

-90.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.7K

$3,149 ₩4.7M

-75.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

4.14

121.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bangalore: July 12, 2026

Last update for Seoul: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $308 in Bangalore and $944 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 300% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Bangalore vs $54.0 in Seoul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $133 vs $491 per month, with Bangalore cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bangalore vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangalore wins on cost – living expenses run 215% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bangalore the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 300% lower in Seoul. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $308 in Bangalore versus $944 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bangalore runs roughly 222% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $117 in Bangalore versus $417 in Seoul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $560 in Bangalore versus $1,765 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bangalore but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Bangalore the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bangalore delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $560 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bangalore hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bangalore and Seoul are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bangalore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 215% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.