Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in George Town: $956 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in George Town
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George Town Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index

Jump to prices

George Town

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$956

/mo nomad

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $956 in George Town versus $1,794 in Seoul.

George Town $956
Seoul $1,794

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in George Town versus $2,863 in Seoul.

George Town $1,599
Seoul $2,863

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,243 in George Town versus $3,931 in Seoul.

George Town $2,243
Seoul $3,931

Living in George Town costs roughly 47% less than in Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 29% below, Seoul is 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 MYR 13.92

$8.80 ₩11.7K

-61.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.33 MYR 62.5

$68.4 ₩91.2K

-77.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 MYR 18.58

$7.54 ₩10.1K

-39.66%

Cappuccino

$2.61 MYR 10.66

$4.23 ₩5,644

-38.30%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.16

$1.63 ₩2,175

-52.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MYR 1.43

$0.74 ₩988

-52.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 MYR 9.88

$3.64 ₩4,860

-33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 18.21

$6.15 ₩8,203

-27.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.56

$2.01 ₩2,688

-7.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$3.13 ₩4,178

-66.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.85

$4.32 ₩5,764

-61.11%

Eggs

$2.21 MYR 9.03

$3.61 ₩4,810

-38.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 MYR 55.7

$17.83 ₩23.8K

-23.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.51 MYR 18.38

$10.45 ₩13.9K

-56.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.49 MYR 34.62

$25.80 ₩34.4K

-67.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 MYR 9.89

$7.66 ₩10.2K

-68.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.84

$3.38 ₩4,514

-57.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 MYR 9.12

$5.81 ₩7,750

-61.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.86

$6.41 ₩8,549

-81.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MYR 3.77

$3.75 ₩5,000

-75.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 MYR 3.45

$2.54 ₩3,387

-66.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 MYR 2.87

$2.84 ₩3,796

-75.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.31

$1.11 ₩1,477

-48.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 MYR 18.03

$3.35 ₩4,470

31.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.74 MYR 76.5

$18.49 ₩24.7K

1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 MYR 9.89

$2.40 ₩3,196

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MYR 14.65

$3.37 ₩4,495

6.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MYR 1.91

$1.14 ₩1,526

-58.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.84 MYR 44.23

$46.11 ₩61.5K

-76.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 MYR 5.08

$3.49 ₩4,660

-64.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$0.63 ₩843

-19.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 MYR 28.03

$8.86 ₩11.8K

-22.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 MYR 3.42

$1.51 ₩2,012

-44.37%

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

$42.3K MYR 172.6K

$29.3K ₩39.1M

44.58%

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

$28.7K MYR 117.0K

$28.2K ₩37.6M

1.70%

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

$36.87 MYR 150

$218 ₩290.2K

-83.05%

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

$8.21 MYR 33.50

$35.15 ₩46.9K

-76.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.51 MYR 116

$21.29 ₩28.4K

33.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.21 MYR 164

$58.1 ₩77.5K

-30.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.04 MYR 20.55

$16.10 ₩21.5K

-68.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 MYR 19.42

$11.31 ₩15.1K

-57.91%

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

$173 MYR 704

$1,948 ₩2.6M

-91.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,848 MYR 19.8K

$22.9K ₩30.5M

-78.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 MYR 216

$57.0 ₩76.1K

-6.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.45 MYR 141

$33.39 ₩44.5K

3.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 MYR 304

$71.5 ₩95.4K

4.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 MYR 285

$82.5 ₩110.1K

-15.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MYR 2,059

$901 ₩1.2M

-43.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 MYR 1,524

$612 ₩816.3K

-38.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 MYR 3,803

$2,526 ₩3.4M

-63.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$992 MYR 4,046

$1,266 ₩1.7M

-21.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,094 MYR 4,461

$3,650 ₩4.9M

-70.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.08

-0.98%

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

Last update for George Town: October 12, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

George Town

$374 39.1%

Seoul

$612 34.1% 63.8% $238

Groceries & Markets

George Town

$240 25.1%

Seoul

$477 26.6% 98.6% $237

Clothing & Footwear

George Town

$104 10.9%

Seoul

$110 6.1% 5.5% $5.7

Eating Out

George Town

$98 10.2%

Seoul

$184 10.2% 87.8% $86

Monthly Utilities & Internet

George Town

$74 7.7%

Seoul

$274 15.3% 272% $200

Sport & Entertainment

George Town

$50 5.2%

Seoul

$81 4.5% 62.2% $31

Getting Around

George Town

$17 1.7%

Seoul

$57 3.2% 247% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in George Town and $901 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 234% 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: $15.00 in George Town vs $68.0 in Seoul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $477 per month, with George Town cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 George Town

🇰🇷 Seoul

🕒 Local time

00:45 12:45 AM

01:45 1:45 AM

1 h ahead of George Town

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

794,313

9,509,458 Capital

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,500 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

George Town Seoul 4,480 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

George Town
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

George Town vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 234% lower in Seoul. 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: $505 in George Town versus $901 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 325% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $173 in George Town versus $1,948 in Seoul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $956 in George Town versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George Town 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, George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.