Cost of Living Comparison Between Gyeonggi and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Gyeonggi and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,389 in Gyeonggi versus $1,765 in Seoul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Gyeonggi versus $2,881 in Seoul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,005 in Gyeonggi versus $3,997 in Seoul.

Living in Gyeonggi costs roughly 21% less than in Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gyeonggi 4% above, Seoul 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 ₩10.6K

$8.73 ₩12.9K

-17.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 ₩125.9K

$54.3 ₩80.2K

57.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 ₩9,908

$6.47 ₩9,546

3.86%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ₩5,250

$3.88 ₩5,717

-8.25%

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

$1.38 ₩2,041

$1.65 ₩2,435

-16.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₩1,043

$0.86 ₩1,263

-17.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.45 ₩6,572

$3.77 ₩5,562

18.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₩4,255

$5.72 ₩8,444

-49.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₩3,209

$2.26 ₩3,340

-3.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 ₩4,482

$3.42 ₩5,051

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,616

$3.09 ₩4,565

1.29%

Eggs

$2.88 ₩4,242

$3.06 ₩4,509

-5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₩15.5K

$14.51 ₩21.4K

-27.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 ₩12.0K

$10.76 ₩15.9K

-24.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.93 ₩41.2K

$34.54 ₩51.0K

-19.14%

Apples (1kg)

$10.94 ₩16.1K

$7.65 ₩11.3K

43.01%

Banana (1kg)

$3.73 ₩5,505

$3.54 ₩5,227

5.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.52 ₩11.1K

$5.42 ₩7,995

38.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.28 ₩7,796

$6.49 ₩9,575

-18.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 ₩5,749

$3.87 ₩5,705

0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ₩4,278

$2.87 ₩4,236

1.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 ₩3,328

$2.61 ₩3,856

-13.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,718

$1.32 ₩1,943

-12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ₩4,829

$3.32 ₩4,905

-1.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.50 ₩24.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₩2,653

$2.38 ₩3,517

-24.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₩4,773

$3.37 ₩4,973

-3.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,653

$1.08 ₩1,587

3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.87 ₩69.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 ₩4,611

$3.46 ₩5,109

-9.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩790

$0.57 ₩840

-5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.57 ₩12.6K

$9.00 ₩13.3K

-4.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ₩2,004

$1.25 ₩1,846

8.80%

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

$27.2K ₩40.1M

$27.9K ₩41.2M

-2.69%

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

$24.9K ₩36.7M

$25.4K ₩37.4M

-1.90%

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

$188 ₩278.0K

$160 ₩236.5K

17.58%

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

$39.25 ₩57.9K

$34.41 ₩50.8K

14.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.92 ₩30.9K

$22.05 ₩32.5K

-5.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ₩81.2K

$58.0 ₩85.5K

-5.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.44 ₩34.6K

Cinema Ticket

$10.04 ₩14.8K

$10.93 ₩16.1K

-8.14%

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

$419 ₩618.1K

$417 ₩615.5K

0.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K ₩34.1M

$23.6K ₩34.8M

-1.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ₩85.2K

$59.2 ₩87.3K

-2.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.38 ₩61.1K

$48.41 ₩71.4K

-14.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 ₩126.5K

$79.9 ₩117.8K

7.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩168.4K

$115 ₩169.4K

-0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 ₩744.5K

$944 ₩1.4M

-46.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 ₩544.0K

$588 ₩867.2K

-37.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,114 ₩3.1M

$2,584 ₩3.8M

-18.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,468 ₩2.2M

$1,312 ₩1.9M

11.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.0K ₩38.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K ₩15.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,041 ₩3.0M

$3,149 ₩4.6M

-35.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

4.14

-15.46%

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

Last update for Gyeonggi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Seoul: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in Gyeonggi and $944 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 54% 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: $85.0 in Gyeonggi vs $54.0 in Seoul. Groceries flip the comparison at $422 vs $491, with Gyeonggi 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

Gyeonggi vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gyeonggi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 54% 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 Gyeonggi versus $944 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $419 in Gyeonggi versus $417 in Seoul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gyeonggi – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $54.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,389 in Gyeonggi versus $1,765 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.

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, Gyeonggi 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 Gyeonggi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.