Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Anyang Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Anyang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,736 per month in Seoul vs $1,332 in Anyang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,797 per month in Seoul vs $2,074 in Anyang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,857 per month in Seoul vs $2,815 in Anyang, rent included.

Seoul costs about 30% more than Anyang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seoul sits 29% above the global median, while Anyang is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.71 ₩13.2K

$5.83 ₩7,903

66.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.7 ₩87.8K

$34.42 ₩46.7K

88.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₩10.1K

$6.39 ₩8,673

16.12%

Cappuccino

$3.83 ₩5,195

$3.56 ₩4,823

7.58%

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

$1.59 ₩2,151

$1.54 ₩2,092

3.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₩1,030

$0.57 ₩775

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩4,878

$2.99 ₩4,061

20.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 ₩7,966

$3.53 ₩4,790

66.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,727

$2.23 ₩3,028

-9.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 ₩4,004

$3.11 ₩4,220

-5.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.15 ₩5,632

$2.25 ₩3,046

84.44%

Eggs

$3.45 ₩4,681

$3.27 ₩4,440

5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.75 ₩22.7K

$15.09 ₩20.5K

11.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.07 ₩13.7K

$7.54 ₩10.2K

33.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.63 ₩34.8K

$10.88 ₩14.8K

135.57%

Apples (1kg)

$7.34 ₩9,957

$7.28 ₩9,878

0.82%

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 ₩4,447

$3.23 ₩4,385

1.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.48 ₩7,427

$7.35 ₩9,973

-25.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.92 ₩8,029

$6.91 ₩9,373

-14.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 ₩4,861

$3.34 ₩4,524

7.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 ₩3,420

$2.38 ₩3,228

5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 ₩3,783

$1.99 ₩2,693

40.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,509

$1.24 ₩1,683

-10.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₩4,502

$3.37 ₩4,568

-1.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.27 ₩24.8K

$17.99 ₩24.4K

1.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ₩3,003

$2.14 ₩2,908

3.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₩4,096

$3.05 ₩4,137

-0.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,494

$1.07 ₩1,451

2.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.64 ₩60.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₩4,678

$3.04 ₩4,121

13.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩785

$0.60 ₩814

-3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.95 ₩12.1K

$13.91 ₩18.9K

-35.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₩1,948

$1.17 ₩1,592

23.08%

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

$29.0K ₩39.3M

$28.3K ₩38.4M

2.44%

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

$27.7K ₩37.6M

$34.1K ₩46.2M

-18.74%

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

$209 ₩284.2K

$204 ₩276.9K

2.63%

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

$33.66 ₩45.7K

$24.28 ₩32.9K

38.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.26 ₩27.5K

$16.61 ₩22.5K

21.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 ₩77.0K

$52.9 ₩71.8K

7.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.42 ₩20.9K

$11.56 ₩15.7K

33.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 ₩15.1K

$10.75 ₩14.6K

3.26%

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

$1,883 ₩2.6M

$302 ₩410.0K

523.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.9M

$17.6K ₩23.9M

24.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 ₩77.1K

$64.6 ₩87.7K

-12.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.07 ₩43.5K

$62.2 ₩84.4K

-48.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 ₩92.8K

$72.4 ₩98.1K

-5.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 ₩108.7K

$97.3 ₩132.0K

-17.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 ₩1.2M

$444 ₩602.8K

94.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 ₩814.5K

$353 ₩479.4K

69.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,412 ₩3.3M

$1,152 ₩1.6M

109.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 ₩1.7M

$712 ₩965.6K

75.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.8K ₩39.1M

$7,025 ₩9.5M

310.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K ₩15.7M

$5,507 ₩7.5M

109.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,348 ₩4.5M

$1,679 ₩2.3M

99.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.95

-17.58%

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

Last update for Seoul: September 21, 2026

Last update for Anyang: September 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $864 in Seoul versus $444 in Anyang. 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 99% 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 $65.0 in Seoul versus $34.00 in Anyang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $459 vs $401 – making Anyang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Anyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,605 per month in Seoul and $1,998 in Anyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Seoul and $34.00 in Anyang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Anyang, where all-in costs run around $1,332, than in Seoul at $1,736. In Anyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Anyang – 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 Anyang. 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.