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: $1,765 in Seoul versus $560 in Bangalore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,881 in Seoul versus $952 in Bangalore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,997 in Seoul versus $1,344 in Bangalore.

Living in Seoul is roughly 215% more expensive than in Bangalore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 32% above, Bangalore is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 ₩13.0K

$3.56 ₹343

145.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩80.8K

$17.57 ₹1,691

209.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 ₩9,627

$4.05 ₹389

59.75%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,766

$2.40 ₹231

61.67%

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

$1.65 ₩2,455

$0.46 ₹43.94

258.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,274

$0.16 ₹15.23

437.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ₩5,610

$2.38 ₹229

58.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 ₩8,517

$3.96 ₹381

44.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,369

$0.65 ₹62.4

247.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 ₩5,095

$0.62 ₹59.8

451.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,604

$0.86 ₹82.6

259.30%

Eggs

$3.06 ₩4,548

$1.04 ₹100

194.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.51 ₩21.6K

$7.80 ₹750

86.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 ₩16.0K

$3.85 ₹370

179.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.54 ₩51.4K

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 ₩11.4K

$2.65 ₹255

188.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.54 ₩5,272

$0.74 ₹71.5

378.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 ₩8,063

$1.13 ₹109

379.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 ₩9,657

$0.43 ₹41.82

1409.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 ₩5,754

$0.47 ₹45.34

723.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 ₩4,273

$0.51 ₹49.03

462.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 ₩3,890

$0.44 ₹42.30

493.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,960

$0.35 ₹33.90

277.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₩4,947

$4.10 ₹395

-19.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.50 ₩24.5K

$10.25 ₹986

60.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,547

$2.11 ₹204

12.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩5,015

$3.31 ₹319

1.81%

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

$7.46 ₹718

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,601

$0.57 ₹54.7

89.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.87 ₩69.7K

$14.55 ₹1,401

222.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ₩5,152

$1.18 ₹113

193.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩847

$0.35 ₹33.80

62.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 ₩13.4K

$2.36 ₹227

281.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,861

$1.22 ₹117

2.46%

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

$27.9K ₩41.6M

$13.8K ₹1.3M

101.84%

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

$25.4K ₩37.7M

$24.7K ₹2.4M

2.70%

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

$160 ₩238.5K

$34.61 ₹3,332

363.07%

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

$34.41 ₩51.2K

$4.99 ₹480

589.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.05 ₩32.8K

$10.67 ₹1,027

106.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 ₩86.2K

$18.61 ₹1,791

211.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.44 ₩34.9K

$5.99 ₹576

291.32%

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 ₩16.3K

$4.60 ₹443

137.61%

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

$417 ₩620.8K

$117 ₹11.2K

257.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ₩35.1M

$3,283 ₹316.1K

618.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ₩88.0K

$27.50 ₹2,647

115.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.41 ₩72.0K

$29.18 ₹2,809

65.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 ₩118.8K

$55.0 ₹5,290

45.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩170.9K

$40.64 ₹3,913

182.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ₩1.4M

$308 ₹29.7K

206.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₩874.6K

$178 ₹17.1K

230.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,584 ₩3.8M

$818 ₹78.8K

215.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₩2.0M

$485 ₹46.7K

170.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.0K ₩38.7M

$1,824 ₹175.5K

1325.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K ₩15.9M

$988 ₹95.1K

983.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 ₩4.7M

$787 ₹75.7K

300.32%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bangalore: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $944 in Seoul and $308 in Bangalore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 300% 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 $18.00 in Bangalore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $491 vs $133 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 215% 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.

Average pay runs 300% 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: $944 in Seoul versus $308 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 222% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $417 in Seoul versus $117 in Bangalore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $560 in Bangalore versus $1,765 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 $560 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 215% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.