Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Ba

For one person, living is cheaper in Ba: $92.7 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $20,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Ba
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Ba Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

🇫🇯 Fiji

$92.7

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Ba

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 Ba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $92.7 in Ba.

Seoul $1,794
Ba $92.7

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $207 in Ba.

Seoul $2,863
Ba $207

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $321 in Ba.

Seoul $3,931
Ba $321

Living in Seoul is roughly 1835% more expensive than in Ba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, Ba is 93% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.8K

$2.05 FJD 4.59

329.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩91.9K

$29.78 FJD 66.7

129.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.1K

$6.10 FJD 13.66

23.61%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,688

$1.96 FJD 4.39

115.82%

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

$1.63 ₩2,192

$0.98 FJD 2.20

66.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩996

$0.98 FJD 2.19

-24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,898

$3.95 FJD 8.84

-7.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,268

$3.45 FJD 7.72

78.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,709

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,211

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,809

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,848

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩24.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩14.0K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.7K

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.3K

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,550

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,811

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,616

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,039

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,414

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,825

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,489

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,505

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,221

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,531

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,538

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩62.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,696

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩849

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,028

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

$29.3K ₩39.4M

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

$28.2K ₩37.9M

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

$218 ₩292.5K

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

$35.15 ₩47.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩78.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.2K

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩76.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩96.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩111.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩822.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩16.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$385 FJD 863

847.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

2.00%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ba: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

$93 100% 49.5% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Seoul pays 847% 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 at a mid-range restaurant: $68.0 in Seoul vs $30.00 in Ba for two.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇫🇯 Ba

🕒 Local time

04:47 4:47 AM

07:47 7:47 AM

3 h ahead of Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

15,000

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Fijian Dollar FJD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.44 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR

1 FJD = 0.447 USD

1 FJD = 0.399 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1,345 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 2.24 FJD (1 FJD = 0.447 USD). 1 EUR = 2.51 FJD (1 FJD = 0.399 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

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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 Ba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba wins on cost – living expenses run 1835% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 847% higher in Seoul, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $68.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,794 per month in Seoul versus $92.7 in Ba – a 1835% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $92.7 in Ba versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ba but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Ba 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 Ba 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 Ba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1835% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.