Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in San Juan: $749 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in San Juan
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San Juan Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index

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San Juan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$749

/mo nomad

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $749 per month in San Juan vs $1,794 in Seoul, rent included.

San Juan $749
Seoul $1,794

A couple spends around $1,101 per month in San Juan vs $2,863 in Seoul, rent included.

San Juan $1,101
Seoul $2,863

A family of three spends $1,452 per month in San Juan vs $3,931 in Seoul, rent included.

San Juan $1,452
Seoul $3,931

San Juan is about 58% cheaper than Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.05 ₱255

$8.80 ₩11.7K

-53.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.88 ₱1,063

$68.4 ₩90.9K

-75.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.82 ₱177

$7.54 ₩10.0K

-62.60%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ₱174

$4.23 ₩5,624

-34.75%

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

$0.66 ₱41.30

$1.63 ₩2,167

-59.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.48

$0.74 ₩985

-58.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₱67.2

$3.64 ₩4,843

-70.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₱98.5

$6.15 ₩8,175

-74.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₱107

$2.01 ₩2,679

-15.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱70.5

$3.13 ₩4,164

-64.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₱52.7

$4.32 ₩5,744

-80.56%

Eggs

$1.82 ₱114

$3.61 ₩4,794

-49.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 ₱330

$17.83 ₩23.7K

-70.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ₱218

$10.45 ₩13.9K

-66.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 ₱454

$25.80 ₩34.3K

-72.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₱146

$7.66 ₩10.2K

-69.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 ₱85.9

$3.38 ₩4,499

-59.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$5.81 ₩7,723

-59.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 ₱66.8

$6.41 ₩8,520

-83.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ₱107

$3.75 ₩4,983

-54.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 ₱109

$2.54 ₩3,375

-31.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱42.17

$2.84 ₩3,782

-76.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₱61.3

$1.11 ₩1,472

-12.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 ₱171

$3.35 ₩4,455

-19.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 ₱490

$18.49 ₩24.6K

-57.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱58.0

$2.40 ₩3,185

-61.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₱116

$3.37 ₩4,480

-45.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.26

$1.14 ₩1,521

-77.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.14 ₱764

$46.11 ₩61.3K

-73.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.71

$3.49 ₩4,643

-77.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.52

$0.63 ₩840

-63.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ₱123

$8.86 ₩11.8K

-77.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱77.8

$1.51 ₩2,005

-17.88%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$29.3K ₩38.9M

-28.34%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$28.2K ₩37.5M

-32.78%

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

$141 ₱8,877

$218 ₩289.2K

-35.18%

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

$14.25 ₱897

$35.15 ₩46.7K

-59.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.38 ₱1,535

$21.29 ₩28.3K

14.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.07 ₱1,893

$58.1 ₩77.2K

-48.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.41 ₱278

$16.10 ₩21.4K

-72.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 ₱319

$11.31 ₩15.0K

-55.17%

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

$74.3 ₱4,677

$1,948 ₩2.6M

-96.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,556 ₱160.9K

$22.9K ₩30.4M

-88.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.32 ₱1,846

$57.0 ₩75.8K

-48.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.71 ₱1,241

$33.39 ₩44.4K

-40.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ₱4,539

$71.5 ₩95.0K

0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 ₱3,573

$82.5 ₩109.7K

-31.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 ₱19.1K

$901 ₩1.2M

-66.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ₱10.9K

$612 ₩813.5K

-71.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱32.4K

$2,526 ₩3.4M

-79.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ₱19.0K

$1,266 ₩1.7M

-76.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,681 ₱168.8K

$29.4K ₩39.1M

-90.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,115 ₱70.2K

$11.9K ₩15.8M

-90.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$243 ₱15.3K

$3,650 ₩4.9M

-93.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

4.08

65.44%

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

Last update for San Juan: October 13, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Juan

$180 24%

Seoul

$274 15.3% 52.5% $94

Groceries & Markets

San Juan

$175 23.3%

Seoul

$477 26.6% 173% $302

Accommodation & Living

San Juan

$173 23.1%

Seoul

$612 34.1% 253% $438

Eating Out

San Juan

$86 11.5%

Seoul

$184 10.2% 113% $97

Clothing & Footwear

San Juan

$80 10.7%

Seoul

$110 6.1% 37.4% $30

Sport & Entertainment

San Juan

$40 5.4%

Seoul

$81 4.5% 101% $40

Getting Around

San Juan

$15 2%

Seoul

$57 3.2% 279% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $303 in San Juan 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 1399% 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 San Juan versus $68.0 in Seoul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $477 – making San Juan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 San Juan

🇰🇷 Seoul

🕒 Local time

07:07 7:07 AM

08:07 8:07 AM

1 h ahead of San Juan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

126,347

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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

San Juan Seoul 2,620 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

San Juan
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

San Juan vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $749 in San Juan, $1,794 in Seoul – roughly 140% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,124 per month in San Juan 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 San Juan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $74.3 per month in San Juan and $1,948 in Seoul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 173% more in Seoul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan, where all-in costs run around $749, than in Seoul at $1,794. In San Juan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Juan – 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 San Juan. 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.