Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,351 in Perth versus $1,765 in Seoul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,434 in Perth versus $2,881 in Seoul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,517 in Perth versus $3,997 in Seoul.

Living in Perth is roughly 33% more expensive than in Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 76% above, Seoul 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.37 A$23.38

$8.73 ₩12.9K

87.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 A$111

$54.3 ₩80.2K

42.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 A$14.65

$6.47 ₩9,546

58.58%

Cappuccino

$3.77 A$5.38

$3.88 ₩5,717

-2.84%

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

$2.50 A$3.57

$1.65 ₩2,435

51.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.83

$0.86 ₩1,263

130.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 A$11.10

$3.77 ₩5,562

106.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 A$9.32

$5.72 ₩8,444

14.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.09

$2.26 ₩3,340

-35.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 A$3.38

$3.42 ₩5,051

-30.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.82

$3.09 ₩4,565

-36.25%

Eggs

$4.40 A$6.29

$3.06 ₩4,509

43.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.42 A$12.03

$14.51 ₩21.4K

-41.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 A$12.24

$10.76 ₩15.9K

-20.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 A$19.62

$34.54 ₩51.0K

-60.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.89

$7.65 ₩11.3K

-55.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.20

$3.54 ₩5,227

-16.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 A$4.03

$5.42 ₩7,995

-47.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 A$6.78

$6.49 ₩9,575

-26.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.59

$3.87 ₩5,705

-35.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 A$2.56

$2.87 ₩4,236

-37.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.86

$2.61 ₩3,856

-23.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.17

$1.32 ₩1,943

15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.35 A$44.77

$3.32 ₩4,905

844.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.07 A$18.66

$16.50 ₩24.3K

-20.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 A$5.39

$2.38 ₩3,517

58.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 A$5.84

$3.37 ₩4,973

21.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 A$4.21

$1.08 ₩1,587

172.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.6 A$102

$46.87 ₩69.1K

52.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.69

$3.46 ₩5,109

15.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$3.02

$0.57 ₩840

271.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.35 A$70.5

$9.00 ₩13.3K

448.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.66

$1.25 ₩1,846

-7.20%

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

$29.2K A$41.6K

$27.9K ₩41.2M

4.39%

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

$24.4K A$34.8K

$25.4K ₩37.4M

-3.95%

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

$155 A$221

$160 ₩236.5K

-3.24%

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

$28.24 A$40.32

$34.41 ₩50.8K

-17.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 A$80.1

$22.05 ₩32.5K

154.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 A$58.8

$58.0 ₩85.5K

-28.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 A$22.33

$23.44 ₩34.6K

-33.28%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$23.39

$10.93 ₩16.1K

49.86%

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

$1,799 A$2,568

$417 ₩615.5K

331.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$17.0K

$23.6K ₩34.8M

-49.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 A$99.7

$59.2 ₩87.3K

17.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.14 A$68.7

$48.41 ₩71.4K

-0.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$149

$79.9 ₩117.8K

30.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$150

$115 ₩169.4K

-8.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 A$2,104

$944 ₩1.4M

56.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 A$1,673

$588 ₩867.2K

99.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,576 A$3,678

$2,584 ₩3.8M

-0.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 A$2,604

$1,312 ₩1.9M

38.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,136 A$11.6K

$26.0K ₩38.4M

-68.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,659 A$8,082

$10.7K ₩15.8M

-47.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 A$6,149

$3,149 ₩4.6M

36.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

4.14

55.07%

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

Last update for Perth: July 13, 2026

Last update for Seoul: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,474 in Perth and $944 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 37% 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: $78.0 in Perth vs $54.0 in Seoul. Groceries flip the comparison at $334 vs $491, with Perth 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

Perth vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 37% higher in Perth, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,474 in Perth versus $944 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Seoul runs roughly 53% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,799 in Perth versus $417 in Seoul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,765 in Seoul versus $2,351 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seoul but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Seoul 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, Perth 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 Seoul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.