Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Ansan Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Ansan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,742 in Seoul versus $1,448 in Ansan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,892 in Seoul versus $2,219 in Ansan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,043 in Seoul versus $2,990 in Ansan.

Living in Seoul is roughly 20% more expensive than Ansan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 30% above, Ansan 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.0K

$7.55 ₩11.4K

13.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩82.2K

$22.71 ₩34.4K

139.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,550

$5.11 ₩7,748

23.29%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,886

$3.91 ₩5,928

-0.77%

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

$1.72 ₩2,613

$1.68 ₩2,552

2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,296

$0.76 ₩1,145

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,448

$2.99 ₩4,536

20.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩8,998

$3.59 ₩5,440

65.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,371

$2.23 ₩3,383

-0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,228

$3.40 ₩5,155

1.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,749

$3.20 ₩4,847

-2.19%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,830

$3.04 ₩4,601

4.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.5K

$14.23 ₩21.6K

-0.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.6K

$10.88 ₩16.5K

1.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩52.6K

$33.94 ₩51.4K

2.36%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.1K

$7.70 ₩11.7K

3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,247

$3.51 ₩5,319

-1.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,229

$5.66 ₩8,580

-4.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.1K

$6.41 ₩9,709

4.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,763

$3.88 ₩5,883

-2.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,465

$2.88 ₩4,358

2.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩3,978

$2.61 ₩3,962

0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,924

$1.27 ₩1,917

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,893

$3.28 ₩4,976

-1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.5K

$16.83 ₩25.5K

15.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,668

$2.35 ₩3,561

2.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,921

$3.24 ₩4,902

0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,691

$1.11 ₩1,683

0.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩72.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,396

$3.50 ₩5,310

1.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩818

$0.54 ₩816

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.2K

$8.69 ₩13.2K

0.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,889

$1.21 ₩1,831

3.31%

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

$28.3K ₩42.8M

$28.1K ₩42.6M

0.55%

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

$25.3K ₩38.4M

$25.0K ₩37.9M

1.41%

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

$161 ₩243.4K

$164 ₩249.1K

-2.29%

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

$34.38 ₩52.1K

$35.28 ₩53.5K

-2.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.0K

$21.89 ₩33.2K

2.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩86.4K

$29.03 ₩44.0K

96.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.2K

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.0K

$11.03 ₩16.7K

1.45%

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

$412 ₩624.5K

$418 ₩632.8K

-1.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩35.8M

$23.2K ₩35.1M

2.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩88.9K

$57.8 ₩87.6K

1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩70.9K

$48.42 ₩73.4K

-3.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩118.6K

$79.1 ₩119.9K

-1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩173.0K

$118 ₩179.2K

-3.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.4M

$449 ₩680.3K

113.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩914.5K

$365 ₩552.6K

65.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩3.9M

$1,094 ₩1.7M

135.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$735 ₩1.1M

78.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.5M

$21.1K ₩32.0M

-13.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$1,329 ₩2.0M

132.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ansan: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Seoul and $449 in Ansan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 133% 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: $54.0 in Seoul vs $23.00 in Ansan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $500 vs $489 per month, with Ansan cheaper across the board.

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 Ansan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ansan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Seoul pays 133% 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: $957 in Seoul versus $449 in Ansan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $412 in Seoul versus $418 in Ansan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ansan – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $54.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,448 in Ansan versus $1,742 in Seoul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ansan but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Ansan 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, Seoul and Ansan 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 Ansan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.