Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Derby and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Seoul: $1,794 a month against $2,318 in Derby, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Derby
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,318
/mo nomad
Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,794
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Derby 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 Derby and in Seoul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,318 in Derby versus $1,794 in Seoul.

  • Derby $2,318
  • Seoul $1,794

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,507 in Derby versus $2,863 in Seoul.

  • Derby $3,507
  • Seoul $2,863

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,696 in Derby versus $3,931 in Seoul.

  • Derby $4,696
  • Seoul $3,931

Living in Derby is roughly 29% more expensive than in Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Derby 72% above, Seoul 33% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Derby
Seoul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.32 A$26.25
$8.80 ₩11.8K
108.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.8 A$111
$68.4 ₩91.7K
13.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.79 A$15.45
$7.54 ₩10.1K
43.10%
Cappuccino
$3.96 A$5.67
$4.23 ₩5,672
-6.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 A$4.35
$1.63 ₩2,186
85.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 A$2.74
$0.74 ₩993
158.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.31 A$10.47
$3.64 ₩4,885
100.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.47 A$10.71
$6.15 ₩8,245
21.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Derby
Seoul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 A$2.50
$2.01 ₩2,702
-12.94%
White Bread (500g)
$2.86 A$4.10
$3.13 ₩4,200
-8.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.08 A$2.98
$4.32 ₩5,793
-51.85%
Eggs
$4.62 A$6.62
$3.61 ₩4,835
27.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.77 A$13.99
$17.83 ₩23.9K
-45.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.94 A$12.80
$10.45 ₩14.0K
-14.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.60 A$19.48
$25.80 ₩34.6K
-47.29%
Apples (1kg)
$3.48 A$4.98
$7.66 ₩10.3K
-54.57%
Banana (1kg)
$2.98 A$4.28
$3.38 ₩4,537
-11.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.36 A$4.81
$5.81 ₩7,789
-42.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.69 A$6.72
$6.41 ₩8,592
-26.83%
Potato (1kg)
$2.48 A$3.56
$3.75 ₩5,025
-33.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.46 A$3.53
$2.54 ₩3,404
-3.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.35 A$3.37
$2.84 ₩3,815
-17.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 A$2.48
$1.11 ₩1,485
55.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$40.51 A$58.0
$3.35 ₩4,493
1109.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.55 A$22.27
$18.49 ₩24.8K
-15.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.83 A$6.93
$2.40 ₩3,213
101.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.65 A$8.09
$3.37 ₩4,518
67.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Derby
Seoul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.54 A$3.64
$1.14 ₩1,534
122.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$87.6 A$125
$46.11 ₩61.8K
89.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.03 A$4.35
$3.49 ₩4,683
-13.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 A$2.22
$0.63 ₩847
146.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.67 A$54.0
$8.86 ₩11.9K
325.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 A$1.67
$1.51 ₩2,023
-23.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.0K A$34.4K
$29.3K ₩39.3M
-18.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.8K A$44.1K
$28.2K ₩37.8M
9.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Derby
Seoul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 A$253
$218 ₩291.7K
-18.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.66 A$35.32
$35.15 ₩47.1K
-29.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.9 A$85.9
$21.29 ₩28.5K
181.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Derby
Seoul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.44 A$69.4
$58.1 ₩77.9K
-16.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.35 A$21.98
$16.10 ₩21.6K
-4.66%
Cinema Ticket
$13.46 A$19.27
$11.31 ₩15.2K
19.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Derby
Seoul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,070 A$2,965
$1,948 ₩2.6M
6.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.4K A$26.4K
$22.9K ₩30.7M
-19.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Derby
Seoul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.0 A$96.0
$57.0 ₩76.5K
17.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.2 A$89.1
$33.39 ₩44.8K
86.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.0 A$130
$71.5 ₩95.9K
27.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 A$188
$82.5 ₩110.7K
59.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Derby
Seoul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,518 A$2,174
$901 ₩1.2M
68.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,048 A$1,501
$612 ₩820.4K
71.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,154 A$3,086
$2,526 ₩3.4M
-14.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,853 A$2,654
$1,266 ₩1.7M
46.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,285 A$7,571
$29.4K ₩39.5M
-82.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,699 A$6,731
$11.9K ₩16.0M
-60.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Derby
Seoul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$3,650 ₩4.9M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.84
4.08
43.14%

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

Last update for Derby: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Derby
$1K
Seoul
$612 41.6% $436
Groceries & Markets
Derby
$369
Seoul
$477 29.2% $108
Eating Out
Derby
$298
Seoul
$184 38.3% $114
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Derby
$261
Seoul
$274 4.8% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Derby
$158
Seoul
$110 30.5% $48
Getting Around
Derby
$109
Seoul
$57 47.2% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Derby
$75
Seoul
$81 7.1% $5.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,518 in Derby and $901 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Derby vs $68.0 in Seoul. Groceries flip the comparison at $369 vs $477, with Derby cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Derby
🇰🇷 Seoul
🕒 Local time
02:09 2:09 AM
03:09 3:09 AM
1 h ahead of Derby
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,300
9,509,458 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.698 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1,341 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,497 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.68 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Derby Seoul 6,110 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Derby
  • Seoul

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
Derby vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Derby and in Seoul?
Derby and Seoul differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,318 vs $1,794 including rent). Seoul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Derby compared to Seoul?
You'd need roughly $3,477 in Derby and $2,692 in Seoul to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Derby and in Seoul?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,518 in Derby versus $901 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Derby pay roughly 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Seoul – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $78.0 in Derby. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,794 in Seoul versus $2,318 in Derby, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seoul but tight or insufficient in Derby. The gap between the two cities makes Seoul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Derby and Seoul?
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.
Is Derby or Seoul safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Derby 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.
Where should expats move: Derby or Seoul?
Expats usually find Seoul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Derby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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