Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,077 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,789 in Seoul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,127 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,909 in Seoul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,176 in Des Moines, IA versus $4,028 in Seoul.

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 16% more expensive than Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Moines, IA 55% above, Seoul 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.83 $15.83

$8.78 ₩13.0K

80.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 $78.5

$56.2 ₩83.0K

39.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$6.39 ₩9,451

87.17%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$3.91 ₩5,786

25.32%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$1.72 ₩2,541

34.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.78 ₩1,157

146.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.72 ₩5,502

38.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$5.72 ₩8,463

21.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.14 ₩3,160

-54.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.40 ₩5,027

-28.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.20 ₩4,730

-30.31%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$3.14 ₩4,647

16.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.83 $12.83

$14.40 ₩21.3K

-10.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 $10.59

$10.94 ₩16.2K

-3.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 $12.72

$34.84 ₩51.5K

-63.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$7.70 ₩11.4K

-40.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$3.56 ₩5,269

-58.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$5.53 ₩8,176

-31.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$6.36 ₩9,403

-45.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$3.90 ₩5,773

-56.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.97 ₩4,394

-0.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.62 ₩3,868

-11.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.33 ₩1,959

-15.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.98 $6.98

$3.27 ₩4,835

113.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$19.59 ₩29.0K

-24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.45 ₩3,616

-31.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.23 ₩4,775

22.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.12 ₩1,663

60.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 $57.7

$46.19 ₩68.3K

24.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.57 ₩5,274

-45.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.53 ₩781

137.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.93 $19.93

$9.03 ₩13.4K

120.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.20 ₩1,768

-31.67%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$27.8K ₩41.1M

-4.65%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$25.1K ₩37.1M

-0.92%

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

$148 $148

$166 ₩245.2K

-10.95%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$34.94 ₩51.7K

44.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 $52.8

$21.79 ₩32.2K

142.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 $67.9

$58.3 ₩86.2K

16.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.01 $20.01

$23.72 ₩35.1K

-15.64%

Cinema Ticket

$15.07 $15.07

$10.91 ₩16.1K

38.13%

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

$1,391 $1,391

$422 ₩623.2K

230.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K $11.9K

$23.3K ₩34.5M

-48.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 $52.9

$58.5 ₩86.4K

-9.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.50 $42.50

$47.92 ₩70.8K

-11.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 $73.9

$79.7 ₩117.8K

-7.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$116 ₩171.0K

7.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 $1,209

$964 ₩1.4M

25.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 $897

$601 ₩888.2K

49.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,788 $1,788

$2,578 ₩3.8M

-30.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 $1,514

$1,320 ₩2.0M

14.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,334 $2,334

$18.4K ₩27.2M

-87.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,352 $2,352

$9,851 ₩14.6M

-76.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,564 $3,564

$2,988 ₩4.4M

19.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

4.14

57.00%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: April 22, 2026

Last update for Seoul: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,209 in Des Moines, IA and $964 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 19% 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: $79 in Des Moines, IA vs $56 in Seoul. Groceries flip the comparison at $331 vs $499, with Des Moines, IA cheaper for home cooking.

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

Des Moines, IA vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Seoul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Des Moines, IA pays 19% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,209 in Des Moines, IA versus $964 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seoul – a meal for two runs $56.0 versus $79.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,077 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,789 in Seoul – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,789 in Seoul versus $2,077 in Des Moines, IA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seoul but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Seoul 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, Des Moines, IA 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 Seoul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.