Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Bangalore Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Bangalore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,742 in Seoul versus $563 in Bangalore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,892 in Seoul versus $963 in Bangalore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,043 in Seoul versus $1,362 in Bangalore.

Living in Seoul is roughly 209% more expensive than Bangalore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 30% above, Bangalore is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.2K

$3.42 ₹328

151.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩83.2K

$17.49 ₹1,675

210.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,659

$4.09 ₹392

54.03%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,954

$2.27 ₹217

70.93%

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

$1.72 ₩2,643

$0.46 ₹43.77

273.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,311

$0.16 ₹15.38

437.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,511

$2.28 ₹218

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩9,101

$4.14 ₹397

43.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,410

$0.61 ₹58.0

263.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,288

$0.58 ₹56.0

494.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,804

$0.86 ₹82.5

263.95%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,886

$1.02 ₹97.5

212.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.8K

$7.69 ₹737

84.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.8K

$3.70 ₹354

197.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩53.2K

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.2K

$2.64 ₹253

201.89%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,307

$0.81 ₹77.2

327.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,323

$1.13 ₹108

380.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.2K

$0.44 ₹42.12

1420.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,830

$0.51 ₹48.61

645.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,516

$0.55 ₹52.3

436.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩4,024

$0.48 ₹45.58

447.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,947

$0.35 ₹33.52

262.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,949

$3.98 ₹381

-18.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.9K

$10.28 ₹984

89.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,710

$2.15 ₹206

12.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,977

$3.28 ₹315

-0.91%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$7.57 ₹725

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,710

$0.59 ₹56.5

89.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩73.4K

$14.61 ₹1,399

227.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,458

$1.18 ₹113

201.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩828

$0.33 ₹31.30

63.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.4K

$2.36 ₹226

269.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,911

$1.19 ₹114

5.04%

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

$28.3K ₩43.3M

$14.0K ₹1.3M

101.75%

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

$25.3K ₩38.8M

$24.7K ₹2.4M

2.47%

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

$161 ₩246.1K

$34.40 ₹3,295

366.86%

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

$34.38 ₩52.7K

$4.95 ₹474

594.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.3K

$10.97 ₹1,051

104.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩87.3K

$18.59 ₹1,780

206.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.6K

$5.98 ₹573

288.46%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.1K

$4.66 ₹446

140.13%

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

$412 ₩631.7K

$116 ₹11.1K

254.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩36.3M

$3,236 ₹310.0K

630.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩89.9K

$27.98 ₹2,680

109.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩71.7K

$29.75 ₹2,849

57.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩120.0K

$54.6 ₹5,230

43.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩175.0K

$40.21 ₹3,852

184.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.5M

$306 ₹29.3K

212.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩924.9K

$179 ₹17.2K

236.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩4.0M

$842 ₹80.6K

206.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$486 ₹46.6K

168.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.9M

$1,812 ₹173.6K

902.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.1M

$962 ₹92.2K

858.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$876 ₹83.9K

253.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

9.19

-54.95%

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

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bangalore: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Seoul and $306 in Bangalore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 253% 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 $17.00 in Bangalore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $500 vs $132 per month, with Bangalore 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 Bangalore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangalore wins on cost – living expenses run 209% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bangalore the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Seoul pays 253% 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 $306 in Bangalore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bangalore runs roughly 228% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $412 in Seoul versus $116 in Bangalore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $563 in Bangalore versus $1,742 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bangalore but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Bangalore the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bangalore delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $563 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bangalore hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seoul and Bangalore 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 Bangalore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 209% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.