Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuta, Bali and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuta, Bali: $1,231 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Kuta, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,231
/mo nomad
Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,822
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $1,822 in Seoul, rent included.

  • Kuta, Bali $1,231
  • Seoul $1,822

A couple spends around $2,066 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $2,847 in Seoul, rent included.

  • Kuta, Bali $2,066
  • Seoul $2,847

A family of three spends $2,900 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $3,872 in Seoul, rent included.

  • Kuta, Bali $2,900
  • Seoul $3,872

Kuta, Bali is about 32% cheaper than Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Kuta, Bali sits 8% below the global median, while Seoul is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kuta, Bali
Seoul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.89 Rp 51.7K
$9.10 ₩12.2K
-68.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.73 Rp 549.4K
$67.0 ₩89.8K
-54.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.94 Rp 88.3K
$7.42 ₩9,941
-33.42%
Cappuccino
$2.38 Rp 42.5K
$4.08 ₩5,470
-41.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 Rp 26.7K
$1.60 ₩2,141
-6.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 Rp 12.3K
$0.80 ₩1,078
-13.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.37 Rp 42.3K
$3.65 ₩4,886
-35.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 Rp 69.9K
$5.94 ₩7,956
-34.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kuta, Bali
Seoul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 Rp 26.2K
$2.05 ₩2,742
-28.29%
White Bread (500g)
$2.18 Rp 39.0K
$3.08 ₩4,130
-29.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.17 Rp 20.9K
$4.21 ₩5,646
-72.21%
Eggs
$1.98 Rp 35.4K
$3.57 ₩4,784
-44.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.58 Rp 296.4K
$17.95 ₩24.1K
-7.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 Rp 64.9K
$10.64 ₩14.3K
-65.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.49 Rp 205.4K
$26.44 ₩35.4K
-56.54%
Apples (1kg)
$3.32 Rp 59.4K
$7.42 ₩9,946
-55.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 Rp 26.9K
$3.53 ₩4,732
-57.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 Rp 38.7K
$5.87 ₩7,866
-63.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.89 Rp 33.8K
$6.37 ₩8,534
-70.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.73 Rp 30.9K
$3.75 ₩5,028
-53.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.30 Rp 41.2K
$2.49 ₩3,337
-7.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.7K
$2.92 ₩3,911
-66.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47 Rp 8,359
$1.15 ₩1,542
-59.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.11 Rp 37.6K
$3.29 ₩4,408
-35.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.20 Rp 379.0K
$18.49 ₩24.8K
14.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.25 Rp 40.3K
$2.28 ₩3,057
-1.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 Rp 51.1K
$3.28 ₩4,398
-12.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Kuta, Bali
Seoul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,813
$1.14 ₩1,526
-76.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.09 Rp 162.4K
$45.47 ₩60.9K
-80.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.49 Rp 8,847
$3.48 ₩4,663
-85.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 Rp 8,210
$0.60 ₩803
-23.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.71 Rp 48.4K
$8.70 ₩11.7K
-68.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.93 Rp 16.7K
$1.50 ₩2,004
-38.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K Rp 468.7M
$29.1K ₩39.0M
-9.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K Rp 605.9M
$28.2K ₩37.8M
20.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kuta, Bali
Seoul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.4 Rp 1.5M
$209 ₩279.9K
-61.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.62 Rp 118.4K
$35.13 ₩47.1K
-81.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.48 Rp 330.3K
$21.18 ₩28.4K
-12.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kuta, Bali
Seoul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.75 Rp 853.5K
$57.3 ₩76.8K
-16.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.76 Rp 281.6K
$15.89 ₩21.3K
-0.82%
Cinema Ticket
$3.87 Rp 69.1K
$11.33 ₩15.2K
-65.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kuta, Bali
Seoul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$443 Rp 7.9M
$1,902 ₩2.5M
-76.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,264 Rp 94.1M
$22.5K ₩30.2M
-76.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kuta, Bali
Seoul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.10 Rp 824.0K
$58.9 ₩78.9K
-21.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.04 Rp 626.3K
$32.12 ₩43.0K
9.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.3 Rp 1.4M
$70.1 ₩94.0K
14.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
$82.5 ₩110.5K
-3.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kuta, Bali
Seoul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$935 Rp 16.7M
$885 ₩1.2M
5.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$570 Rp 10.2M
$624 ₩835.5K
-8.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,926 Rp 52.3M
$2,494 ₩3.3M
17.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,426 Rp 25.5M
$1,275 ₩1.7M
11.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,256 Rp 40.3M
$29.8K ₩40.0M
-92.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,861 Rp 33.3M
$11.8K ₩15.9M
-84.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kuta, Bali
Seoul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$3,649 ₩4.9M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
4.08
237.75%

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

Last update for Kuta, Bali: October 4, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kuta, Bali
$570
Seoul
$624 9.4% $54
Groceries & Markets
Kuta, Bali
$274
Seoul
$479 74.9% $205
Clothing & Footwear
Kuta, Bali
$108
Seoul
$110 1.2% $1.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kuta, Bali
$107
Seoul
$265 149% $159
Eating Out
Kuta, Bali
$95
Seoul
$184 93.7% $89
Sport & Entertainment
Kuta, Bali
$55
Seoul
$80 44.2% $25
Getting Around
Kuta, Bali
$13
Seoul
$57 336% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $935 in Kuta, Bali versus $885 in Seoul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Kuta, Bali versus $67.0 in Seoul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $479 – making Kuta, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Kuta, Bali
🇰🇷 Seoul
🕒 Local time
15:38 3:38 PM
16:38 4:38 PM
1 h ahead of Kuta, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
57,304
9,509,458 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,048 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,503 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kuta, Bali Seoul 5,290 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kuta, Bali
  • 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
Kuta, Bali vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kuta, Bali or Seoul?
Seoul costs about 48% more than Kuta, Bali, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kuta, Bali and in Seoul?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,846 per month in Kuta, Bali and $2,733 in Seoul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kuta, Bali or Seoul?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuta, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Kuta, Bali and in Seoul?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Kuta, Bali and $67.0 in Seoul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Kuta, Bali compared to Seoul?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,231 in Kuta, Bali and $1,822 in Seoul. That's a gap of about 48%.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Kuta, Bali or in Seoul?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kuta, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,231, than in Seoul at $1,822. In Kuta, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Kuta, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Kuta, Bali compared to Seoul?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Kuta, Bali or to Seoul?
If budget matters most, go with Kuta, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seoul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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