Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,742 in Seoul versus $647 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,892 in Seoul versus $949 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,043 in Seoul versus $1,251 in Bandung.

Living in Seoul is roughly 169% more expensive than Bandung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 30% above, Bandung is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.2K

$1.28 Rp 22.9K

571.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩83.2K

$9.42 Rp 168.9K

476.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,657

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

83.67%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,952

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

169.44%

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

$1.72 ₩2,643

$0.49 Rp 8,717

251.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,311

$0.25 Rp 4,452

244.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,509

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

9.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩9,098

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

66.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,409

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

88.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,286

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

222.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,802

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

232.98%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,884

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

101.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.8K

$9.33 Rp 167.3K

52.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.8K

$3.02 Rp 54.2K

263.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩53.2K

$7.92 Rp 142.0K

338.64%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.2K

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

236.29%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,305

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

160.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,321

$1.69 Rp 30.3K

221.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.2K

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

340.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,828

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

156.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,514

$2.67 Rp 47.8K

10.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩4,023

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

173.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,946

$0.46 Rp 8,234

176.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,947

$2.57 Rp 46.0K

25.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.9K

$22.35 Rp 400.7K

-12.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,709

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

15.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,976

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

-6.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,710

$0.30 Rp 5,362

273.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩73.4K

$10.57 Rp 189.5K

352.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,456

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

368.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩827

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

-23.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.4K

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

236.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,910

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

54.32%

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

$28.3K ₩43.3M

$24.4K Rp 437.0M

15.93%

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

$25.3K ₩38.8M

$26.4K Rp 473.3M

-4.05%

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

$161 ₩246.1K

$43.12 Rp 773.0K

272.45%

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

$34.38 ₩52.7K

$4.52 Rp 81.1K

660.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.3K

$22.94 Rp 411.3K

-2.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩87.3K

$21.48 Rp 385.1K

165.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.6K

$6.62 Rp 118.7K

250.91%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.1K

$3.16 Rp 56.6K

254.11%

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

$412 ₩631.5K

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

336.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩36.2M

$7,577 Rp 135.8M

212.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩89.9K

$41.84 Rp 750.1K

40.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩71.7K

$30.57 Rp 547.9K

53.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩120.0K

$59.2 Rp 1.1M

32.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩175.0K

$63.7 Rp 1.1M

79.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.5M

$234 Rp 4.2M

308.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩924.7K

$156 Rp 2.8M

286.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩4.0M

$447 Rp 8.0M

477.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$247 Rp 4.4M

430.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.8M

$723 Rp 13.0M

2412.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.1M

$309 Rp 5.5M

2888.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$284 Rp 5.1M

991.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

9.15

-54.75%

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

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bandung: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Seoul and $234 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 991% 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 $9.00 in Bandung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $500 vs $215 per month, with Bandung 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 Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 169% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Seoul pays 991% 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 $234 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 133% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $54.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $647 in Bandung versus $1,742 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bandung but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Bandung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $647 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seoul and Bandung 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 169% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.