Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Baguio

For one person, living is cheaper in Baguio: $755 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
Learn more

Baguio Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,822

/mo nomad

Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$755

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Baguio

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,822 in Seoul versus $755 in Baguio.

Seoul $1,822
Baguio $755

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,847 in Seoul versus $1,183 in Baguio.

Seoul $2,847
Baguio $1,183

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,872 in Seoul versus $1,611 in Baguio.

Seoul $3,872
Baguio $1,611

Living in Seoul is roughly 141% more expensive than in Baguio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 36% above, Baguio is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.2K

$3.97 ₱249

129.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 ₩89.8K

$16.85 ₱1,057

297.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₩9,941

$2.76 ₱173

168.84%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩5,470

$1.84 ₱115

121.74%

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

$1.60 ₩2,141

$0.60 ₱37.75

166.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,078

$0.34 ₱21.40

135.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩4,886

$1.01 ₱63.6

261.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩7,956

$1.64 ₱103

262.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₩2,742

$1.69 ₱106

21.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₩4,130

$1.13 ₱70.9

172.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,646

$1.03 ₱64.5

308.74%

Eggs

$3.57 ₩4,784

$2.02 ₱126

76.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.95 ₩24.1K

$4.96 ₱311

261.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 ₩14.3K

$3.37 ₱211

215.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.44 ₩35.4K

$7.68 ₱482

244.27%

Apples (1kg)

$7.42 ₩9,946

$2.31 ₱145

221.21%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,732

$1.60 ₱100

120.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 ₩7,866

$2.33 ₱146

151.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 ₩8,534

$1.08 ₱67.5

489.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,028

$1.67 ₱104

124.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ₩3,337

$1.72 ₱108

44.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 ₩3,911

$0.67 ₱41.91

335.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,542

$0.53 ₱33.15

116.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,408

$2.98 ₱187

10.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.8K

$8.72 ₱547

112.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,057

$0.97 ₱61.1

135.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₩4,398

$2.08 ₱130

57.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,526

$0.25 ₱15.73

356.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.47 ₩60.9K

$12.66 ₱794

259.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩4,663

$0.83 ₱52.0

319.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩803

$0.25 ₱15.78

140.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.70 ₩11.7K

$1.89 ₱119

360.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,004

$1.25 ₱78.7

20.00%

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

$29.1K ₩39.0M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

37.73%

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

$28.2K ₩37.8M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

45.64%

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

$209 ₩279.9K

$142 ₱8,910

47.02%

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

$35.13 ₩47.1K

$17.90 ₱1,122

96.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.18 ₩28.4K

$23.77 ₱1,491

-10.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₩76.8K

$21.07 ₱1,322

172.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 ₩21.3K

$5.18 ₱325

206.76%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 ₩15.2K

$5.15 ₱323

120.00%

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

$1,902 ₩2.5M

$132 ₱8,307

1336.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K ₩30.2M

$10.8K ₱675.4K

109.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₩78.9K

$29.14 ₱1,827

102.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.12 ₩43.0K

$19.94 ₱1,251

61.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩94.0K

$73.0 ₱4,578

-3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩110.5K

$55.5 ₱3,480

48.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ₩1.2M

$403 ₱25.3K

119.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩835.5K

$195 ₱12.2K

220.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 ₩3.3M

$824 ₱51.7K

202.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ₩1.7M

$460 ₱28.9K

177.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.8K ₩40.0M

$2,677 ₱167.9K

1014.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.8K ₩15.9M

$928 ₱58.2K

1177.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,649 ₩4.9M

$185 ₱11.6K

1876.15%

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 4, 2026

Last update for Baguio: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.7%

Baguio

$195 25.8% 68.8% $429

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$479 26.7%

Baguio

$175 23.2% 63.5% $304

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$265 14.8%

Baguio

$184 24.4% 30.7% $81

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Baguio

$74 9.8% 59.6% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Baguio

$80 10.6% 27.1% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Baguio

$31 4.2% 60.8% $49

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Baguio

$16 2.1% 72.1% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $885 in Seoul and $403 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 1876% 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: $67.0 in Seoul vs $17.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $479 vs $175 per month, with Baguio cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Baguio

🕒 Local time

16:06 4:06 PM

15:06 3:06 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

366,358

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,503 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seoul Baguio 2,430 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Baguio

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 Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 141% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1876% higher in Seoul, 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: $885 in Seoul versus $403 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,822 per month in Seoul versus $755 in Baguio – a 141% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 259% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $755 in Baguio versus $1,822 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baguio but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Baguio 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 Baguio 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 Baguio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.