Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gyeonggi and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Gyeonggi: $1,084 a month against $1,848 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index

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Gyeonggi

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,084

/mo nomad

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,848

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,084 in Gyeonggi versus $1,848 in Seoul.

Gyeonggi $1,084
Seoul $1,848

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,107 in Gyeonggi versus $2,986 in Seoul.

Gyeonggi $2,107
Seoul $2,986

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,129 in Gyeonggi versus $4,125 in Seoul.

Gyeonggi $3,129
Seoul $4,125

Living in Gyeonggi costs roughly 41% less than in Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gyeonggi is 20% below, Seoul is 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.51 ₩10.0K

$9.05 ₩12.1K

-17.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 ₩80.5K

$68.3 ₩91.2K

-11.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ₩8,172

$7.35 ₩9,812

-16.73%

Cappuccino

$3.94 ₩5,259

$4.12 ₩5,498

-4.37%

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

$1.18 ₩1,571

$1.64 ₩2,195

-28.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₩969

$0.81 ₩1,077

-9.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 ₩4,606

$3.71 ₩4,952

-7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ₩4,117

$6.13 ₩8,188

-49.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ₩2,483

$2.04 ₩2,726

-8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 ₩4,286

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 ₩5,858

Eggs

$3.59 ₩4,795

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.23 ₩24.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 ₩14.0K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.89 ₩35.9K

Apples (1kg)

$11.11 ₩14.8K

$7.86 ₩10.5K

41.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.82 ₩5,104

$3.53 ₩4,712

8.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.76 ₩10.4K

$5.70 ₩7,616

36.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.18 ₩8,249

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 ₩5,024

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 ₩3,354

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 ₩3,758

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,482

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,406

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 ₩24.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,229

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ₩4,483

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₩1,591

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.13 ₩61.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 ₩4,332

$3.55 ₩4,742

-8.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₩823

$0.60 ₩806

3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 ₩12.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₩1,880

$1.44 ₩1,920

-2.08%

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

$30.3K ₩40.4M

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

$28.9K ₩38.6M

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

$195 ₩260.0K

$213 ₩283.7K

-8.38%

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

$40.69 ₩54.3K

$35.83 ₩47.8K

13.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.48 ₩28.7K

$21.39 ₩28.6K

0.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩76.2K

$61.6 ₩82.3K

-7.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.41 ₩21.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.24 ₩13.7K

$11.42 ₩15.2K

-10.33%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K ₩30.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 ₩80.8K

$59.8 ₩79.8K

1.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.02 ₩56.1K

$34.19 ₩45.7K

22.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 ₩114.0K

$66.0 ₩88.1K

29.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 ₩109.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 ₩712.1K

$924 ₩1.2M

-42.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 ₩498.8K

$659 ₩880.0K

-43.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 ₩2.9M

$3,012 ₩4.0M

-28.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 ₩2.0M

$1,440 ₩1.9M

6.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.2K ₩36.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K ₩15.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,228 ₩3.0M

$3,570 ₩4.8M

-37.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

4.08

-14.22%

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

Last update for Gyeonggi: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Gyeonggi

–

Seoul

$659 35.7%

Groceries & Markets

Gyeonggi

–

Seoul

$483 26.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gyeonggi

–

Seoul

$270 14.6%

Eating Out

Gyeonggi

–

Seoul

$184 10%

Clothing & Footwear

Gyeonggi

–

Seoul

$109 5.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Gyeonggi

–

Seoul

$84 4.6%

Getting Around

Gyeonggi

–

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $533 in Gyeonggi and $924 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 60% 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: $60 in Gyeonggi vs $68 in Seoul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $128 vs $483 per month, with Gyeonggi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Gyeonggi

🇰🇷 Seoul

🕒 Local time

15:03 3:03 PM

Same time as Gyeonggi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,234,582

9,509,458 Capital

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Gyeonggi vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gyeonggi is about 41% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Gyeonggi. 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: $533 in Gyeonggi versus $924 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 277% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gyeonggi – a meal for two runs $60 versus $68 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,084 in Gyeonggi versus $1,848 in Seoul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gyeonggi but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Gyeonggi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

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