Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Laoag City and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Laoag City: $743 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Laoag City
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Laoag City Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index

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Laoag City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$743

/mo nomad

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $743 per month in Laoag City vs $1,794 in Seoul, rent included.

Laoag City $743
Seoul $1,794

A couple spends around $1,112 per month in Laoag City vs $2,863 in Seoul, rent included.

Laoag City $1,112
Seoul $2,863

A family of three spends $1,480 per month in Laoag City vs $3,931 in Seoul, rent included.

Laoag City $1,480
Seoul $3,931

Laoag City is about 59% cheaper than Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Laoag City sits 45% below the global median, while Seoul is 33% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 ₱215

$8.80 ₩11.7K

-61.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.52 ₱1,040

$68.4 ₩90.9K

-75.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.94 ₱185

$7.54 ₩10.0K

-61.01%

Cappuccino

$2.54 ₱160

$4.23 ₩5,624

-39.95%

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

$0.67 ₱42.11

$1.63 ₩2,167

-58.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.52

$0.74 ₩985

-55.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₱63.3

$3.64 ₩4,843

-72.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₱117

$6.15 ₩8,175

-69.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱102

$2.01 ₩2,679

-18.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱73.8

$3.13 ₩4,164

-62.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₱58.1

$4.32 ₩5,744

-78.70%

Eggs

$1.95 ₱123

$3.61 ₩4,794

-45.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.25 ₱331

$17.83 ₩23.7K

-70.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 ₱271

$10.45 ₩13.9K

-58.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 ₱456

$25.80 ₩34.3K

-71.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 ₱152

$7.66 ₩10.2K

-68.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ₱103

$3.38 ₩4,499

-51.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 ₱154

$5.81 ₩7,723

-58.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ₱74.6

$6.41 ₩8,520

-81.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$3.75 ₩4,983

-48.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ₱119

$2.54 ₩3,375

-25.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₱63.3

$2.84 ₩3,782

-64.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱33.73

$1.11 ₩1,472

-51.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₱182

$3.35 ₩4,455

-13.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 ₱464

$18.49 ₩24.6K

-60.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₱59.5

$2.40 ₩3,185

-60.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱122

$3.37 ₩4,480

-42.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.39

$1.14 ₩1,521

-77.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 ₱755

$46.11 ₩61.3K

-74.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 ₱45.76

$3.49 ₩4,643

-79.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.14

$0.63 ₩840

-61.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₱138

$8.86 ₩11.8K

-75.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 ₱64.6

$1.51 ₩2,005

-31.79%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$29.3K ₩38.9M

-26.06%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$28.2K ₩37.5M

-32.55%

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

$136 ₱8,542

$218 ₩289.2K

-37.63%

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

$14.48 ₱912

$35.15 ₩46.7K

-58.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.79 ₱1,561

$21.29 ₩28.3K

16.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.51 ₱2,047

$58.1 ₩77.2K

-44.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.10 ₱321

$16.10 ₩21.4K

-68.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 ₱316

$11.31 ₩15.0K

-55.53%

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

$133 ₱8,385

$1,948 ₩2.6M

-93.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,190 ₱515.6K

$22.9K ₩30.4M

-64.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.49 ₱2,108

$57.0 ₩75.8K

-41.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.72 ₱1,242

$33.39 ₩44.4K

-40.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ₱4,481

$71.5 ₩95.0K

-0.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 ₱3,483

$82.5 ₩109.7K

-32.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱17.0K

$901 ₩1.2M

-70.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 ₱10.8K

$612 ₩813.5K

-72.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ₱32.3K

$2,526 ₩3.4M

-79.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ₱20.7K

$1,266 ₩1.7M

-73.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,434 ₱153.3K

$29.4K ₩39.1M

-91.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,087 ₱68.4K

$11.9K ₩15.8M

-90.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 ₱10.2K

$3,650 ₩4.9M

-95.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

4.08

66.42%

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

Last update for Laoag City: October 12, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Laoag City

$179 24.2%

Seoul

$477 26.6% 166% $297

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Laoag City

$175 23.5%

Seoul

$274 15.3% 56.6% $99

Accommodation & Living

Laoag City

$171 23%

Seoul

$612 34.1% 257% $440

Clothing & Footwear

Laoag City

$81 10.9%

Seoul

$110 6.1% 36% $29

Eating Out

Laoag City

$79 10.7%

Seoul

$184 10.2% 132% $104

Sport & Entertainment

Laoag City

$43 5.7%

Seoul

$81 4.5% 89.6% $38

Getting Around

Laoag City

$15 2%

Seoul

$57 3.2% 283% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Laoag City versus $901 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 2155% higher in Seoul, 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 $17.00 in Laoag City versus $68.0 in Seoul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $477 – making Laoag City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Laoag City

🇰🇷 Seoul

🕒 Local time

00:38 12:38 AM

01:38 1:38 AM

1 h ahead of Laoag City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

112,117

9,509,458 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Laoag City Seoul 2,240 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Laoag City
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

Laoag City vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 141% more than Laoag City, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,115 per month in Laoag City and $2,692 in Seoul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $743 in Laoag City and $1,794 in Seoul. That's a gap of about 141%.

Public transport costs about 285% less in Laoag City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Laoag City, where all-in costs run around $743, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Laoag City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Laoag City – 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 Laoag City. 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.