Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Bacoor

For one person, living is cheaper in Bacoor: $727 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,794
/mo nomad
Bacoor
🇵🇭 Philippines
$727
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Bacoor

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

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $727 in Bacoor, rent included.

  • Seoul $1,794
  • Bacoor $727

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $1,103 in Bacoor, rent included.

  • Seoul $2,863
  • Bacoor $1,103

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $1,479 in Bacoor, rent included.

  • Seoul $3,931
  • Bacoor $1,479

Seoul costs about 147% more than Bacoor, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Bacoor is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seoul
Bacoor
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.80 ₩11.7K
$4.43 ₱279
98.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.4 ₩91.2K
$16.51 ₱1,040
314.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 ₩10.1K
$2.84 ₱179
165.49%
Cappuccino
$4.23 ₩5,644
$2.35 ₱148
80.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 ₩2,175
$0.60 ₱38.10
171.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 ₩988
$0.27 ₱16.95
174.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.64 ₩4,860
$1.02 ₱64.3
256.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.15 ₩8,203
$2.38 ₱150
158.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seoul
Bacoor
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.01 ₩2,688
$1.60 ₱101
25.62%
White Bread (500g)
$3.13 ₩4,178
$1.13 ₱71.1
176.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.32 ₩5,764
$0.90 ₱56.6
380.00%
Eggs
$3.61 ₩4,810
$1.82 ₱115
98.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.83 ₩23.8K
$5.14 ₱324
246.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 ₩13.9K
$3.51 ₱221
197.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.80 ₩34.4K
$6.93 ₱436
272.29%
Apples (1kg)
$7.66 ₩10.2K
$2.23 ₱140
243.50%
Banana (1kg)
$3.38 ₩4,514
$1.38 ₱87.2
144.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.81 ₩7,750
$2.30 ₱145
152.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.41 ₩8,549
$1.03 ₱64.8
522.33%
Potato (1kg)
$3.75 ₩5,000
$1.72 ₱108
118.02%
Onion (1kg)
$2.54 ₩3,387
$1.73 ₱109
46.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.84 ₩3,796
$0.65 ₱41.15
336.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 ₩1,477
$0.49 ₱31.07
126.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.35 ₩4,470
$2.80 ₱176
19.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.49 ₩24.7K
$7.61 ₱479
142.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₩3,196
$0.91 ₱57.4
163.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 ₩4,495
$1.84 ₱116
83.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Seoul
Bacoor
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.14 ₩1,526
$0.24 ₱14.98
375.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$46.11 ₩61.5K
$10.22 ₱644
351.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.49 ₩4,660
$0.83 ₱52.4
320.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.63 ₩843
$0.23 ₱14.50
173.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.86 ₩11.8K
$1.93 ₱121
359.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 ₩2,012
$1.20 ₱75.4
25.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K ₩39.1M
$21.5K ₱1.4M
36.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K ₩37.6M
$19.1K ₱1.2M
47.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
Bacoor
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$218 ₩290.2K
$138 ₱8,671
58.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.15 ₩46.9K
$14.35 ₱904
144.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.29 ₩28.4K
$23.69 ₱1,492
-10.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
Bacoor
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.1 ₩77.5K
$28.45 ₱1,792
104.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.10 ₩21.5K
$3.99 ₱251
303.51%
Cinema Ticket
$11.31 ₩15.1K
$5.14 ₱324
120.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seoul
Bacoor
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,948 ₩2.6M
$73.7 ₱4,645
2541.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.9K ₩30.5M
$2,532 ₱159.5K
803.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
Bacoor
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.0 ₩76.1K
$28.94 ₱1,823
97.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.39 ₩44.5K
$19.65 ₱1,238
69.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.5 ₩95.4K
$71.1 ₱4,477
0.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.5 ₩110.1K
$56.1 ₱3,536
46.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seoul
Bacoor
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$901 ₩1.2M
$244 ₱15.4K
268.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$612 ₩816.3K
$169 ₱10.6K
263.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,526 ₩3.4M
$556 ₱35.0K
354.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,266 ₩1.7M
$361 ₱22.7K
250.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$29.4K ₩39.3M
$2,422 ₱152.6K
1114.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.9K ₩15.9M
$933 ₱58.8K
1175.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seoul
Bacoor
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,650 ₩4.9M
$294 ₱18.5K
1141.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
6.75
-39.56%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bacoor: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seoul
$612
Bacoor
$169 72.5% $443
Groceries & Markets
Seoul
$477
Bacoor
$166 65.1% $310
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
$274
Bacoor
$176 35.9% $98
Eating Out
Seoul
$184
Bacoor
$86 53.5% $98
Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
$110
Bacoor
$79 28.1% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
$81
Bacoor
$39 52% $42
Getting Around
Seoul
$57
Bacoor
$13 77.1% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $244 in Bacoor. 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 1141% 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 $17.00 in Bacoor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $166 – making Bacoor the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Seoul
🇵🇭 Bacoor
🕒 Local time
04:51 4:51 AM
03:51 3:51 AM
1 h behind Seoul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,509,458 Capital
600,609
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,500 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seoul Bacoor 2,640 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Seoul
  • Bacoor

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 Bacoor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bacoor cheaper than Seoul?
Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 147%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,692 per month in Seoul and $1,091 in Bacoor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacoor, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Seoul and in Bacoor?
Groceries cost about 187% more in Seoul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Seoul or in Bacoor?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Seoul and $17.00 in Bacoor. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Seoul or in Bacoor?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacoor, where all-in costs run around $727, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Bacoor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Seoul or Bacoor more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bacoor – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Seoul or Bacoor?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bacoor. 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.

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