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: $2,294 in Perth versus $1,742 in Seoul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,344 in Perth versus $2,892 in Seoul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,394 in Perth versus $4,043 in Seoul.

Living in Perth is roughly 32% more expensive than Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 71% above, Seoul 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.46 A$23.07

$8.59 ₩13.2K

91.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$110

$54.3 ₩83.2K

44.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 A$14.85

$6.30 ₩9,659

68.10%

Cappuccino

$3.70 A$5.19

$3.88 ₩5,954

-4.64%

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

$2.48 A$3.48

$1.72 ₩2,643

44.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.78

$0.86 ₩1,311

130.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 A$11.01

$3.60 ₩5,511

118.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 A$9.38

$5.94 ₩9,101

12.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 A$1.97

$2.22 ₩3,410

-36.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 A$3.45

$3.45 ₩5,288

-28.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.75

$3.13 ₩4,804

-37.38%

Eggs

$4.53 A$6.35

$3.19 ₩4,886

42.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 A$12.19

$14.21 ₩21.8K

-38.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 A$11.99

$10.99 ₩16.8K

-22.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 A$19.62

$34.74 ₩53.2K

-59.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 A$4.81

$7.97 ₩12.2K

-56.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.07

$3.46 ₩5,307

-16.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.15

$5.43 ₩8,323

-45.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 A$6.65

$6.69 ₩10.2K

-29.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 A$3.36

$3.80 ₩5,830

-36.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 A$2.48

$2.95 ₩4,516

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.81

$2.63 ₩4,024

-23.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.13

$1.27 ₩1,947

19.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.13 A$45.05

$3.23 ₩4,949

894.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.05 A$18.29

$19.49 ₩29.9K

-33.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 A$5.49

$2.42 ₩3,710

61.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 A$5.79

$3.25 ₩4,977

27.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 A$4.17

$1.12 ₩1,710

165.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 A$102

$47.88 ₩73.4K

51.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 A$5.63

$3.56 ₩5,458

12.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$2.97

$0.54 ₩828

292.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.71 A$68.3

$8.72 ₩13.4K

458.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 A$1.57

$1.25 ₩1,911

-10.40%

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

$28.7K A$40.2K

$28.3K ₩43.3M

1.58%

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

$24.1K A$33.8K

$25.3K ₩38.8M

-4.93%

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

$156 A$219

$161 ₩246.1K

-2.67%

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

$28.43 A$39.86

$34.38 ₩52.7K

-17.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 A$79.2

$22.41 ₩34.3K

152.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.39 A$58.0

$57.0 ₩87.3K

-27.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.53 A$21.77

$23.23 ₩35.6K

-33.15%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 A$22.76

$11.19 ₩17.1K

45.04%

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

$1,810 A$2,538

$412 ₩631.7K

339.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.5K

$23.7K ₩36.3M

-50.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 A$97.6

$58.7 ₩89.9K

18.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 A$68.6

$46.80 ₩71.7K

4.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$144

$78.3 ₩120.0K

30.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$148

$114 ₩175.0K

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 A$2,131

$957 ₩1.5M

58.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 A$1,591

$604 ₩924.9K

88.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 A$3,541

$2,580 ₩4.0M

-2.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 A$2,538

$1,308 ₩2.0M

38.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,858 A$9,615

$18.2K ₩27.9M

-62.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,398 A$7,568

$9,223 ₩14.1M

-41.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,340 A$6,085

$3,095 ₩4.7M

40.26%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,520 in Perth and $957 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 40% 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 $336 vs $500, 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 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Perth pays 40% more on average, 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: $1,520 in Perth versus $957 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 51% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,810 in Perth versus $412 in Seoul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,742 in Seoul versus $2,294 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 32% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.