Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Afghanistan
For one person, living is cheaper in Afghanistan: $551 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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Seoul Living Index87Cost of Living Index in SeoulLearn more -
Afghanistan Living Index27Cost of Living Index in AfghanistanLearn more
😐 Solo nomad: Seoul is 136.5% more expensive than Afghanistan without rent, and 230.4% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Seoul is 224.5% more expensive than Afghanistan without rent, and 316.3% more expensive with rent.
🍽 Eating Out
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.10 ₩12.2K
$2.35 ؋152
287.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.0 ₩89.8K
$10.67 ؋691
528.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.42 ₩9,941
$3.86 ؋250
92.23%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.11 ؋137
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Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.74 ؋501
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Cappuccino
$4.08 ₩5,470
$1.02 ؋66.4
300.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ₩2,141
$0.45 ؋28.93
255.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 ₩1,078
$0.19 ؋12.01
321.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.65 ₩4,886
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Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.94 ₩7,956
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🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.05 ₩2,742
$0.79 ؋51.3
159.49%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₩4,130
$0.28 ؋18.17
1000.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.21 ₩5,646
$1.94 ؋126
117.01%
Eggs
$3.57 ₩4,784
$1.59 ؋103
124.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.95 ₩24.1K
$4.73 ؋306
279.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.64 ₩14.3K
$3.85 ؋249
176.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.44 ₩35.4K
$6.72 ؋435
293.45%
Apples (1kg)
$7.42 ₩9,946
$0.69 ؋44.50
975.36%
Banana (1kg)
$3.53 ₩4,732
$0.93 ؋60.0
279.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.87 ₩7,866
$1.03 ؋66.5
469.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.37 ₩8,534
$0.53 ؋34.53
1101.89%
Potato (1kg)
$3.75 ₩5,028
$0.55 ؋35.89
581.82%
Onion (1kg)
$2.49 ₩3,337
$0.41 ؋26.32
507.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.92 ₩3,911
$0.40 ؋25.72
630.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 ₩1,542
$0.34 ؋22.25
238.24%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.82 ؋118
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.74 ؋47.89
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.02 ؋66.3
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.29 ₩4,408
$2.29 ؋148
43.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.49 ₩24.8K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.28 ₩3,057
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28 ₩4,398
-
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🚌 Getting Around
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.14 ₩1,526
$0.30 ؋19.34
280.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.47 ₩60.9K
$14.43 ؋934
215.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.48 ₩4,663
$1.49 ؋96.8
133.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 ₩803
$0.48 ؋31.04
25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.70 ₩11.7K
$1.73 ؋112
402.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 ₩2,004
$1.11 ؋71.6
35.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K ₩39.0M
$8,439 ؋546.5K
245.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K ₩37.8M
$34.2K ؋2.2M
-17.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$209 ₩279.9K
$57.5 ؋3,724
263.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.13 ₩47.1K
$13.64 ؋884
157.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.18 ₩28.4K
$163 ؋10.6K
-87.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.3 ₩76.8K
$10.68 ؋692
436.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.89 ₩21.3K
$4.03 ؋261
294.29%
Cinema Ticket
$11.33 ₩15.2K
$2.57 ؋166
340.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,902 ₩2.5M
$20.21 ؋1,309
9312.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.5K ₩30.2M
$1,302 ؋84.3K
1629.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 ₩78.9K
$13.25 ؋858
344.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.12 ₩43.0K
$18.30 ؋1,185
75.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.1 ₩94.0K
$43.65 ؋2,827
60.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.5 ₩110.5K
$32.51 ؋2,105
153.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$885 ₩1.2M
$115 ؋7,464
667.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$624 ₩835.5K
$89.7 ؋5,810
595.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,494 ₩3.3M
$196 ؋12.7K
1170.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,275 ₩1.7M
$111 ؋7,217
1043.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$29.8K ₩40.0M
$652 ؋42.2K
4479.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.8K ₩15.9M
$351 ؋22.7K
3277.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,649 ₩4.9M
$259 ؋16.8K
1308.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
18.22
-77.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026
Last update for Afghanistan: October 6, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seoul $624 34.7%
Afghanistan $90 16.1% 85.6% $534
Groceries & Markets
Seoul $479 26.7%
Afghanistan $102 18.4% 78.6% $377
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul $265 14.8%
Afghanistan $235 42.2% 11.6% $31
Eating Out
Seoul $184 10.2%
Afghanistan $45 8.1% 75.4% $139
Clothing & Footwear
Seoul $110 6.1%
Afghanistan $48 8.7% 55.8% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Seoul $80 4.5%
Afghanistan $16 2.9% 80.2% $64
Getting Around
Seoul $57 3.1%
Afghanistan $20 3.5% 65.5% $37
Accommodation & Living
Seoul $1.3K 32.5%
Afghanistan $111 11.9% 91.3% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Seoul $1.1K 28.4%
Afghanistan $249 26.6% 77.7% $867
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul $300 7.7%
Afghanistan $248 26.5% 17.4% $52
Eating Out
Seoul $701 17.9%
Afghanistan $143 15.3% 79.5% $558
Clothing & Footwear
Seoul $244 6.2%
Afghanistan $108 11.5% 55.8% $136
Sport & Entertainment
Seoul $176 4.5%
Afghanistan $36 3.8% 79.7% $140
Getting Around
Seoul $115 2.9%
Afghanistan $40 4.2% 65.6% $76
Good to know
🇰🇷 Seoul
🇦🇫 Afghanistan
Weather
Population
9,509,458 Capital
41,454,761
Exchange rates and currency converter
On the map
Lowest
Highest
Between locations
- Seoul Afghanistan 5,120 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
- Seoul
- Afghanistan
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
Seoul vs other spots: cost of living compared
Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,822
/mo nomad
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,242
/mo nomad
Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,822
/mo nomad
Dubai
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
$2,854
/mo nomad
Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,822
/mo nomad
Bangalore
🇮🇳 India
$535
/mo nomad
Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,822
/mo nomad
Taipei
🇹🇼 Taiwan
$1,395
/mo nomad
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