Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Alor Setar

For one person, living is cheaper in Alor Setar: $881 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
Learn more

Seoul Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Alor Setar
Learn more

Alor Setar Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Alor Setar

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$881

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Alor Setar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seoul and in Alor Setar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $881 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Alor Setar $881

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $1,277 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Alor Setar $1,277

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $1,672 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Seoul $3,931
Alor Setar $1,672

Seoul costs about 104% more than Alor Setar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Alor Setar is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$2.08 MYR 8.48

323.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$12.30 MYR 50.2

455.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$4.28 MYR 17.44

76.17%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$1.82 MYR 7.40

132.42%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.56 MYR 2.30

191.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.30 MYR 1.24

146.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$4.25 MYR 17.33

-14.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$4.33 MYR 17.68

42.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.60 MYR 6.51

25.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$0.85 MYR 3.49

268.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$1.68 MYR 6.85

157.14%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.51 MYR 6.17

139.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$13.63 MYR 55.6

30.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.35 MYR 17.76

140.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$8.75 MYR 35.68

194.86%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.94 MYR 11.98

160.54%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.24 MYR 5.04

172.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.72 MYR 11.10

113.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.45 MYR 5.91

342.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.06 MYR 4.33

253.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$1.13 MYR 4.62

124.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$1.10 MYR 4.48

158.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.54 MYR 2.18

105.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$4.50 MYR 18.37

-25.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$18.89 MYR 77.1

-2.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$2.90 MYR 11.83

-17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$5.36 MYR 21.88

-37.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.79 MYR 3.21

44.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$10.78 MYR 43.98

327.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$1.67 MYR 6.80

108.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.40 MYR 1.65

57.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$7.37 MYR 30.08

20.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$0.51 MYR 2.09

196.08%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$41.8K MYR 170.3K

-29.90%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$35.9K MYR 146.6K

-21.50%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$37.61 MYR 153

478.36%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$7.49 MYR 30.57

369.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$21.82 MYR 89.0

-2.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$39.96 MYR 163

45.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$7.19 MYR 29.33

123.92%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$4.95 MYR 20.19

128.48%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$427 MYR 1,741

356.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$10.7K MYR 43.7K

113.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$60.3 MYR 246

-5.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$34.46 MYR 141

-3.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$82.4 MYR 336

-13.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$68.8 MYR 281

19.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$371 MYR 1,513

142.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$305 MYR 1,246

100.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$662 MYR 2,700

281.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$449 MYR 1,831

182.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$1,986 MYR 8,103

1381.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$970 MYR 3,958

1126.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$1,642 MYR 6,697

122.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.04

0.99%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Alor Setar: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Alor Setar

$305 34.7% 50.1% $306

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Alor Setar

$246 27.9% 48.5% $231

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Alor Setar

$67 7.6% 75.6% $207

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Alor Setar

$85 9.6% 54% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Alor Setar

$111 12.6% 0.6% $0.7

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Alor Setar

$50 5.7% 38.2% $31

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Alor Setar

$18 2% 69.3% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $371 in Alor Setar. 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 122% 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 $68.0 in Seoul versus $12.00 in Alor Setar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $246 – making Alor Setar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇲🇾 Alor Setar

🕒 Local time

04:03 4:03 AM

03:03 3:03 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

423,868

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

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).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seoul Alor Setar 4,410 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Alor Setar

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 Alor Setar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 104% more than Alor Setar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,692 per month in Seoul and $1,321 in Alor Setar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alor Setar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,948 per month in Seoul and $427 in Alor Setar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 94% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alor Setar, where all-in costs run around $881, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Alor Setar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Alor Setar – 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 Alor Setar. 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.