Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Changwon and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Changwon: $1,529 a month against $1,848 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Changwon
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Changwon Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index

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Changwon

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,529

/mo nomad

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,848

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Changwon and in Seoul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Changwon and in Seoul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,529 in Changwon versus $1,848 in Seoul.

Changwon $1,529
Seoul $1,848

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Changwon versus $2,986 in Seoul.

Changwon $2,381
Seoul $2,986

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,233 in Changwon versus $4,125 in Seoul.

Changwon $3,233
Seoul $4,125

Living in Changwon costs roughly 17% less than in Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Changwon 12% above, Seoul 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.34 ₩9,862

$9.05 ₩12.1K

-18.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.81 ₩37.3K

$68.3 ₩91.8K

-59.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 ₩7,167

$7.35 ₩9,868

-27.35%

Cappuccino

$3.78 ₩5,079

$4.12 ₩5,530

-8.25%

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

$1.87 ₩2,513

$1.64 ₩2,207

14.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₩1,359

$0.81 ₩1,083

24.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 ₩4,050

$3.71 ₩4,980

-18.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 ₩5,870

$6.13 ₩8,236

-28.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₩3,161

$2.04 ₩2,742

15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 ₩4,357

$3.21 ₩4,311

0.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 ₩4,303

$4.39 ₩5,892

-27.11%

Eggs

$2.63 ₩3,538

$3.59 ₩4,822

-26.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 ₩14.9K

$18.23 ₩24.5K

-39.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₩14.1K

$10.51 ₩14.1K

0.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.38 ₩34.1K

$26.89 ₩36.1K

-5.62%

Apples (1kg)

$11.39 ₩15.3K

$7.86 ₩10.5K

44.91%

Banana (1kg)

$3.73 ₩5,009

$3.53 ₩4,739

5.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.96 ₩10.7K

$5.70 ₩7,660

39.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.86 ₩7,874

$6.18 ₩8,296

-5.18%

Potato (1kg)

$5.95 ₩7,991

$3.76 ₩5,053

58.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,535

$2.51 ₩3,373

34.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 ₩3,831

$2.82 ₩3,780

1.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,778

$1.11 ₩1,490

18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₩4,520

$3.30 ₩4,432

2.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ₩25.4K

$18.64 ₩25.0K

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 ₩3,317

$2.42 ₩3,248

2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ₩4,539

$3.36 ₩4,509

0.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 ₩1,558

$1.19 ₩1,600

-2.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.13 ₩61.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 ₩4,008

$3.55 ₩4,770

-16.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,052

$0.60 ₩810

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.79 ₩22.5K

$9.08 ₩12.2K

84.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ₩1,830

$1.44 ₩1,931

-5.56%

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

$39.0K ₩52.4M

$30.3K ₩40.6M

28.92%

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

$33.9K ₩45.6M

$28.9K ₩38.8M

17.42%

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

$200 ₩268.3K

$213 ₩285.4K

-5.98%

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

$36.15 ₩48.5K

$35.83 ₩48.1K

0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.46 ₩36.9K

$21.39 ₩28.7K

28.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₩71.6K

$61.6 ₩82.8K

-13.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.13 ₩19.0K

$16.41 ₩22.0K

-13.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.29 ₩15.2K

$11.42 ₩15.3K

-1.14%

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

$646 ₩867.1K

$1,948 ₩2.6M

-66.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K ₩28.8M

$22.8K ₩30.6M

-5.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩140.3K

$59.8 ₩80.3K

74.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.5 ₩88.0K

$34.19 ₩45.9K

91.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 ₩124.0K

$66.0 ₩88.6K

39.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ₩172.6K

$81.9 ₩110.0K

56.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ₩649.8K

$924 ₩1.2M

-47.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₩478.0K

$659 ₩885.1K

-45.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 ₩1.6M

$3,012 ₩4.0M

-61.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 ₩1.0M

$1,440 ₩1.9M

-47.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,009 ₩9.4M

$27.2K ₩36.5M

-74.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,457 ₩7.3M

$11.3K ₩15.2M

-51.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 ₩2.3M

$3,570 ₩4.8M

-52.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.08

3.43%

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

Last update for Changwon: October 26, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Changwon

$491 32.1%

Seoul

$483 26.2% 1.5% $7.2

Accommodation & Living

Changwon

$356 23.3%

Seoul

$659 35.7% 85.2% $303

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Changwon

$263 17.2%

Seoul

$270 14.6% 2.4% $6.3

Clothing & Footwear

Changwon

$176 11.5%

Seoul

$109 5.9% 38.1% $67

Eating Out

Changwon

$156 10.2%

Seoul

$184 10% 18.6% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Changwon

$76 5%

Seoul

$84 4.6% 11.3% $8.5

Getting Around

Changwon

$12 * 0.8%

Seoul

$57 3.1% 398% $46

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Changwon and $924 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays about 2.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $28 in Changwon vs $68 in Seoul. Groceries flip the comparison at $491 vs $483, with Seoul cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Changwon

🇰🇷 Seoul

🕒 Local time

06:07 6:07 AM

Same time as Changwon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,055,839

9,509,458 Capital

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Changwon Seoul 300 km

From you

Changwon
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,529 in Changwon and $1,848 in Seoul, so Changwon is about 17% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Changwon. 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: $484 in Changwon versus $924 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $646 in Changwon versus $1,948 in Seoul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $1,529 per month in Changwon versus $1,848 in Seoul – Changwon is about 17% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

For families, Changwon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seoul, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Changwon and Seoul are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Changwon wins on affordability, Seoul on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.