Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,142 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $1,784 in Seoul, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,401 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $2,852 in Seoul, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,661 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $3,920 in Seoul, rent included.

La Crosse, WI costs about 20% more than Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both La Crosse, WI and Seoul sit above the global median – La Crosse, WI by 60%, Seoul by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 $13.05

$8.98 ₩13.3K

45.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.9 $82.9

$55.4 ₩82.1K

49.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$6.46 ₩9,588

86.22%

Cappuccino

$5.87 $5.87

$3.77 ₩5,591

55.70%

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

$3.10 $3.10

$1.71 ₩2,537

81.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.81 ₩1,199

179.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.30 $6.30

$3.59 ₩5,322

75.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$6.03 ₩8,952

15.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$2.16 ₩3,208

-62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.36 ₩4,987

-35.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$3.17 ₩4,699

69.40%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$3.15 ₩4,671

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$14.45 ₩21.4K

-61.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.01 $14.01

$10.91 ₩16.2K

28.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.81 $17.81

$34.05 ₩50.5K

-47.69%

Apples (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$7.88 ₩11.7K

-17.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$3.63 ₩5,390

-51.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$5.67 ₩8,407

-60.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$6.44 ₩9,553

-48.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.89 ₩5,777

-42.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.87 ₩4,257

29.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.59 ₩3,848

-8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.32 ₩1,956

53.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 $11.90

$3.30 ₩4,891

260.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 $15.50

$19.80 ₩29.4K

-21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.33 ₩3,454

-24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.23 ₩4,793

-39.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.07 ₩1,586

43.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.55 $34.55

$46.51 ₩69.0K

-25.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 $4.67

$3.50 ₩5,190

33.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.57 ₩843

177.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.13 $24.13

$8.59 ₩12.7K

180.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.21 ₩1,793

-32.23%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$27.4K ₩40.6M

9.81%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$25.1K ₩37.2M

-4.22%

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

$162 $162

$161 ₩239.2K

0.71%

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

$51.5 $51.5

$34.79 ₩51.6K

47.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$22.48 ₩33.3K

193.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.32 $40.32

$58.8 ₩87.2K

-31.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.05 $4.05

$23.22 ₩34.4K

-82.56%

Cinema Ticket

$12.03 $12.03

$11.10 ₩16.5K

8.38%

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

$1,633 $1,633

$413 ₩612.3K

295.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.3K $26.3K

$23.1K ₩34.3M

13.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 $63.0

$57.9 ₩85.9K

8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.37 $44.37

$47.44 ₩70.4K

-6.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 $85.8

$78.7 ₩116.7K

9.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$117 ₩173.0K

0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 $762

$956 ₩1.4M

-20.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 $986

$591 ₩877.1K

66.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 $2,163

$2,570 ₩3.8M

-15.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 $1,975

$1,318 ₩2.0M

49.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,889 $1,889

$18.5K ₩27.4M

-89.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,946 $1,946

$9,790 ₩14.5M

-80.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,518 $4,518

$2,903 ₩4.3M

55.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

4.14

57.25%

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

Last update for La Crosse, WI: April 26, 2026

Last update for Seoul: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $762 in La Crosse, WI versus $956 in Seoul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 56% higher in La Crosse, WI, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in La Crosse, WI versus $55.0 in Seoul. Groceries tell a different story – $368 in La Crosse, WI vs $498 in Seoul – so La Crosse, WI wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

La Crosse, WI vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,142 in La Crosse, WI, $1,784 in Seoul – roughly 20% apart. La Crosse, WI costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,212 per month in La Crosse, WI and $2,676 in Seoul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seoul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 35% cheaper in La Crosse, WI – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in La Crosse, WI and $55.0 in Seoul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,784, than in La Crosse, WI at $2,142. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Crosse, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Seoul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Seoul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, La Crosse, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.