Cost of Living Comparison Between Changwon and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Changwon and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,459 in Changwon versus $1,784 in Seoul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,287 in Changwon versus $2,852 in Seoul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Changwon versus $3,920 in Seoul.

Living in Changwon costs roughly 18% less than in Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Changwon 9% above, Seoul 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.17 ₩10.6K

$8.98 ₩13.2K

-20.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.79 ₩40.9K

$55.4 ₩81.5K

-49.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 ₩7,410

$6.46 ₩9,523

-22.14%

Cappuccino

$3.70 ₩5,447

$3.77 ₩5,553

-1.86%

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

$1.80 ₩2,658

$1.71 ₩2,519

5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₩1,351

$0.81 ₩1,191

13.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 ₩4,251

$3.59 ₩5,286

-19.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ₩6,098

$6.03 ₩8,891

-31.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₩3,434

$2.16 ₩3,186

7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 ₩5,056

$3.36 ₩4,953

2.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,390

$3.17 ₩4,667

-5.99%

Eggs

$2.89 ₩4,262

$3.15 ₩4,639

-8.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 ₩15.7K

$14.45 ₩21.3K

-26.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 ₩12.2K

$10.91 ₩16.1K

-23.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.51 ₩40.5K

$34.05 ₩50.2K

-19.21%

Apples (1kg)

$8.70 ₩12.8K

$7.88 ₩11.6K

10.41%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,608

$3.63 ₩5,353

-13.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.57 ₩11.2K

$5.67 ₩8,350

33.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 ₩7,591

$6.44 ₩9,488

-20.03%

Potato (1kg)

$5.05 ₩7,444

$3.89 ₩5,738

29.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,465

$2.87 ₩4,229

5.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₩3,091

$2.59 ₩3,822

-18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,702

$1.32 ₩1,943

-12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,981

$3.30 ₩4,858

2.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.27 ₩25.4K

$19.80 ₩29.2K

-12.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₩2,461

$2.33 ₩3,431

-28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ₩4,948

$3.23 ₩4,761

4.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,556

$1.07 ₩1,575

-0.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.51 ₩68.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 ₩3,976

$3.50 ₩5,155

-22.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₩1,264

$0.57 ₩838

50.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.55 ₩24.4K

$8.59 ₩12.6K

92.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₩1,729

$1.21 ₩1,780

-3.31%

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

$27.9K ₩41.1M

$27.4K ₩40.3M

1.77%

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

$24.9K ₩36.7M

$25.1K ₩36.9M

-0.69%

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

$192 ₩283.2K

$161 ₩237.6K

19.19%

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

$50.1 ₩73.7K

$34.79 ₩51.3K

43.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.25 ₩40.2K

$22.48 ₩33.1K

21.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 ₩74.4K

$58.8 ₩86.6K

-14.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.22 ₩34.2K

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 ₩16.8K

$11.10 ₩16.4K

2.97%

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

$487 ₩717.4K

$413 ₩608.2K

17.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ₩20.6M

$23.1K ₩34.0M

-39.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩153.2K

$57.9 ₩85.3K

79.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.26 ₩71.1K

$47.44 ₩69.9K

1.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 ₩131.7K

$78.7 ₩115.9K

13.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₩174.7K

$117 ₩171.8K

1.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ₩676.5K

$956 ₩1.4M

-51.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 ₩553.8K

$591 ₩871.2K

-36.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 ₩1.6M

$2,570 ₩3.8M

-58.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 ₩1.1M

$1,318 ₩1.9M

-42.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K ₩27.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,790 ₩14.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,509 ₩2.2M

$2,903 ₩4.3M

-48.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.14

1.93%

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

Last update for Changwon: April 27, 2026

Last update for Seoul: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $459 in Changwon and $956 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 92% 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: $28.00 in Changwon vs $55.0 in Seoul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $498 per month, with Changwon 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

Changwon vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changwon and Seoul differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,459 vs $1,784 including rent). Changwon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Seoul earns 92% less. 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: $459 in Changwon versus $956 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,459 per month in Changwon versus $1,784 in Seoul – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,459 in Changwon versus $1,784 in Seoul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Changwon but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Changwon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Changwon 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 Changwon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.