Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and South Korea Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and South Korea

Name: South Korea
Address: KR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,215 per month in Canada vs $1,391 in South Korea, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,237 per month in Canada vs $2,187 in South Korea, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,258 per month in Canada vs $2,983 in South Korea, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is about 59% higher than in South Korea on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Canada and South Korea are pricier than the global median – Canada by 62%, South Korea by 2%.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($906–$3,718) than in South Korea ($1,029–$1,757), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.71 CA$24.77

$7.57 ₩10.4K

133.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$99.4

$44.89 ₩61.9K

58.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.25

$6.40 ₩8,821

70.31%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.34

$3.93 ₩5,418

-2.80%

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

$2.12 CA$2.97

$1.64 ₩2,258

29.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$0.84 ₩1,151

108.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.07

$3.61 ₩4,970

59.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 CA$8.00

$4.33 ₩5,968

32.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CA$3.18

$2.13 ₩2,941

6.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CA$3.63

$3.03 ₩4,172

-14.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.99

$3.45 ₩4,761

3.48%

Eggs

$3.64 CA$5.09

$3.09 ₩4,255

17.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 CA$15.43

$14.49 ₩20.0K

-23.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.82

$8.68 ₩12.0K

38.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 CA$21.97

$24.71 ₩34.0K

-36.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.84

$8.31 ₩11.5K

-49.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$3.42 ₩4,719

-59.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.80 CA$5.31

$6.16 ₩8,489

-38.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.57

$5.95 ₩8,206

-33.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.71

$3.83 ₩5,282

-30.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.55

$2.68 ₩3,689

-5.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$2.69 ₩3,706

-1.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.50

$1.17 ₩1,611

52.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.23 CA$19.91

$3.26 ₩4,492

336.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 CA$18.49

$14.93 ₩20.6K

-11.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 CA$4.17

$2.04 ₩2,814

46.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$2.97 ₩4,090

7.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.45

$1.08 ₩1,494

128.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 CA$103

$46.28 ₩63.8K

58.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.56

$3.53 ₩4,869

-7.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 CA$2.15

$0.65 ₩892

136.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.66 CA$38.69

$8.73 ₩12.0K

216.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.67

$1.32 ₩1,825

-9.09%

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

$28.0K CA$39.1K

$29.6K ₩40.9M

-5.67%

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

$19.4K CA$27.1K

$30.4K ₩41.9M

-36.23%

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

$151 CA$212

$201 ₩276.4K

-24.57%

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

$43.37 CA$60.7

$38.78 ₩53.4K

11.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 CA$83.6

$23.39 ₩32.2K

155.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.88 CA$57.2

$56.4 ₩77.8K

-27.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 CA$27.71

$16.31 ₩22.5K

21.46%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 CA$15.93

$10.93 ₩15.1K

4.21%

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

$783 CA$1,095

$928 ₩1.3M

-15.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K CA$20.5K

$22.8K ₩31.4M

-35.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 CA$77.1

$55.7 ₩76.7K

-0.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.66 CA$55.5

$44.13 ₩60.8K

-10.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 CA$125

$76.3 ₩105.1K

17.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$145

$96.8 ₩133.4K

6.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 CA$1,817

$587 ₩809.0K

121.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 CA$1,618

$407 ₩560.3K

184.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 CA$2,833

$1,536 ₩2.1M

31.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 CA$2,489

$906 ₩1.2M

96.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,679 CA$6,545

$15.4K ₩21.2M

-69.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,883 CA$5,432

$8,205 ₩11.3M

-52.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,043 CA$4,257

$2,288 ₩3.2M

32.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

4.21

15.44%

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

Last update for Canada: September 14, 2026

Last update for South Korea: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,221 in Canada vs $420 in South Korea. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,493 in Ottawa and $891 in Seoul.

Average salary: $2,963 in Canada vs $2,121 in South Korea. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 191% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 59% more in Canada.

Public transport is 400% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 40% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Korea.

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

Canada vs South Korea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Korea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 66% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in South Korea, contributing to the overall 66% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in South Korea, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

South Korea is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.