Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Princesa and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Princesa: $705 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Puerto Princesa
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Puerto Princesa Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index

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Puerto Princesa

🇵🇭 Philippines

$705

/mo nomad

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $705 in Puerto Princesa versus $1,794 in Seoul.

Puerto Princesa $705
Seoul $1,794

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,050 in Puerto Princesa versus $2,863 in Seoul.

Puerto Princesa $1,050
Seoul $2,863

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,396 in Puerto Princesa versus $3,931 in Seoul.

Puerto Princesa $1,396
Seoul $3,931

Living in Puerto Princesa costs roughly 61% less than in Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Puerto Princesa is 48% below, Seoul is 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.28 ₱269

$8.80 ₩11.7K

-51.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.84 ₱1,061

$68.4 ₩90.9K

-75.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₱289

$7.54 ₩10.0K

-39.12%

Cappuccino

$2.34 ₱147

$4.23 ₩5,624

-44.68%

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

$0.88 ₱55.2

$1.63 ₩2,167

-46.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.91

$0.74 ₩985

-29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ₱79.5

$3.64 ₩4,843

-65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₱149

$6.15 ₩8,175

-61.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.01 ₩2,679

-12.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ₱64.4

$3.13 ₩4,164

-67.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₱51.9

$4.32 ₩5,744

-81.02%

Eggs

$1.75 ₱110

$3.61 ₩4,794

-51.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 ₱347

$17.83 ₩23.7K

-69.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 ₱342

$10.45 ₩13.9K

-48.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.59 ₱415

$25.80 ₩34.3K

-74.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ₱149

$7.66 ₩10.2K

-69.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 ₱53.3

$3.38 ₩4,499

-74.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ₱151

$5.81 ₩7,723

-58.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₱71.6

$6.41 ₩8,520

-82.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ₱96.4

$3.75 ₩4,983

-59.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ₱84.8

$2.54 ₩3,375

-46.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 ₱59.4

$2.84 ₩3,782

-66.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₱43.92

$1.11 ₩1,472

-36.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 ₱180

$3.35 ₩4,455

-14.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.28 ₱458

$18.49 ₩24.6K

-60.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₱66.6

$2.40 ₩3,185

-55.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.8

$3.37 ₩4,480

-59.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.71

$1.14 ₩1,521

-78.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.06 ₱697

$46.11 ₩61.3K

-76.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.36

$3.49 ₩4,643

-78.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.17

$0.63 ₩840

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ₱123

$8.86 ₩11.8K

-77.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 ₱63.7

$1.51 ₩2,005

-33.11%

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

$17.1K ₱1.1M

$29.3K ₩38.9M

-41.61%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$28.2K ₩37.5M

-32.31%

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

$62.2 ₱3,915

$218 ₩289.2K

-71.41%

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

$10.94 ₱689

$35.15 ₩46.7K

-68.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.60 ₱1,549

$21.29 ₩28.3K

15.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.60 ₱2,052

$58.1 ₩77.2K

-43.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.75 ₱299

$16.10 ₩21.4K

-70.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 ₱318

$11.31 ₩15.0K

-55.35%

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

$133 ₱8,357

$1,948 ₩2.6M

-93.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,060 ₱507.5K

$22.9K ₩30.4M

-64.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.45 ₱2,106

$57.0 ₩75.8K

-41.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.50 ₱1,228

$33.39 ₩44.4K

-41.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 ₱4,478

$71.5 ₩95.0K

-0.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.2 ₱3,541

$82.5 ₩109.7K

-31.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₱17.8K

$901 ₩1.2M

-68.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 ₱12.7K

$612 ₩813.5K

-67.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 ₱32.7K

$2,526 ₩3.4M

-79.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ₱19.7K

$1,266 ₩1.7M

-75.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,404 ₱151.4K

$29.4K ₩39.1M

-91.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 ₱63.4K

$11.9K ₩15.8M

-91.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 ₱14.1K

$3,650 ₩4.9M

-93.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.12

4.08

99.02%

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

Last update for Puerto Princesa: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Puerto Princesa

$201 28.5%

Seoul

$612 34.1% 204% $411

Groceries & Markets

Puerto Princesa

$176 24.9%

Seoul

$477 26.6% 171% $301

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Puerto Princesa

$98 13.9%

Seoul

$274 15.3% 180% $176

Eating Out

Puerto Princesa

$93 13.2%

Seoul

$184 10.2% 98.3% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Puerto Princesa

$81 11.5%

Seoul

$110 6.1% 35.6% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Puerto Princesa

$43 6.1%

Seoul

$81 4.5% 89% $38

Getting Around

Puerto Princesa

$14 2%

Seoul

$57 3.2% 314% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Puerto Princesa and $901 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 1535% 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: $17.00 in Puerto Princesa vs $68.0 in Seoul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $477 per month, with Puerto Princesa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Puerto Princesa

🇰🇷 Seoul

🕒 Local time

05:06 5:06 AM

06:06 6:06 AM

1 h ahead of Puerto Princesa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

307,079

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 17, 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 17, 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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Between locations

Puerto Princesa Seoul 3,200 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Puerto Princesa
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

Puerto Princesa vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Princesa is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 155% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1535% lower in Seoul. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $283 in Puerto Princesa versus $901 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $705 per month in Puerto Princesa versus $1,794 in Seoul – a 155% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Puerto Princesa runs roughly 317% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $705 in Puerto Princesa versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Puerto Princesa but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Princesa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Puerto Princesa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seoul, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 155% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.