Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Bat Yam Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Bat Yam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,742 in Seoul versus $2,187 in Bat Yam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,892 in Seoul versus $3,259 in Bat Yam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,043 in Seoul versus $4,332 in Bat Yam.

Living in Seoul costs roughly 20% less than in Bat Yam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 30% above, Bat Yam 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.0K

$15.59 ₪44.40

-44.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩82.2K

$83.9 ₪239

-35.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,550

$17.04 ₪48.53

-63.03%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,886

$3.78 ₪10.77

2.65%

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

$1.72 ₩2,613

$2.44 ₪6.94

-29.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,296

$1.45 ₪4.13

-40.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,448

$5.58 ₪15.88

-35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩8,998

$4.20 ₪11.95

41.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,371

$2.16 ₪6.16

2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,228

$3.77 ₪10.73

-8.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,749

$2.90 ₪8.26

7.93%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,830

$4.11 ₪11.70

-22.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.5K

$14.17 ₪40.34

0.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.6K

$11.13 ₪31.69

-1.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩52.6K

$15.87 ₪45.20

118.90%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.1K

$3.16 ₪8.98

152.22%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,247

$1.92 ₪5.47

80.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,229

$1.91 ₪5.44

184.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.1K

$2.36 ₪6.73

183.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,763

$1.38 ₪3.92

175.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,465

$1.42 ₪4.05

107.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩3,978

$2.30 ₪6.54

14.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,924

$1.19 ₪3.37

6.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,893

$11.48 ₪32.68

-71.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.5K

$16.48 ₪46.93

18.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,668

$2.73 ₪7.78

-11.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,921

$3.84 ₪10.94

-15.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,691

$2.28 ₪6.48

-50.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩72.6K

$74.1 ₪211

-35.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,396

$4.19 ₪11.93

-15.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩818

$0.87 ₪2.48

-37.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.2K

$24.13 ₪68.7

-63.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,889

$2.08 ₪5.91

-39.90%

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

$28.3K ₩42.8M

$40.2K ₪114.5K

-29.70%

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

$25.3K ₩38.4M

$42.7K ₪121.5K

-40.62%

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

$161 ₩243.4K

$195 ₪555

-17.66%

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

$34.38 ₩52.1K

$11.79 ₪33.58

191.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.0K

$28.65 ₪81.6

-21.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩86.4K

$47.85 ₪136

19.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.2K

$11.67 ₪33.24

99.06%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.0K

$12.45 ₪35.44

-10.12%

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

$412 ₩624.5K

$981 ₪2,793

-57.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩35.8M

$8,696 ₪24.8K

172.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩88.9K

$94.0 ₪268

-37.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩70.9K

$50.8 ₪145

-7.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩118.6K

$119 ₪339

-34.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩173.0K

$131 ₪374

-13.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.4M

$1,131 ₪3,221

-15.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩914.5K

$1,001 ₪2,850

-39.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩3.9M

$1,550 ₪4,413

66.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$1,594 ₪4,539

-17.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.5M

$10.7K ₪30.6K

69.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.0M

$7,144 ₪20.3K

29.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

4.5

-8.00%

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

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bat Yam: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Seoul and $1,131 in Bat Yam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Seoul vs $84.0 in Bat Yam. Groceries flip the comparison at $500 vs $365, with Bat Yam cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bat Yam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,613 in Seoul and $3,281 in Bat Yam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $957 in Seoul versus $1,131 in Bat Yam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seoul – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $84.0 in Bat Yam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,742 per month in Seoul versus $2,187 in Bat Yam – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,742 in Seoul versus $2,187 in Bat Yam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seoul but tight or insufficient in Bat Yam. The gap between the two cities makes Seoul 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 Bat Yam 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 Seoul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Bat Yam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.