Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Bat Yam

For one person, living is cheaper in Seoul: $1,848 a month against $2,556 in Bat Yam, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in Bat Yam
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Bat Yam Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,848

/mo nomad

Bat Yam

🇮🇱 Israel

$2,556

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Bat Yam

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,848 in Seoul versus $2,556 in Bat Yam.

Seoul $1,848
Bat Yam $2,556

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,986 in Seoul versus $3,800 in Bat Yam.

Seoul $2,986
Bat Yam $3,800

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,125 in Seoul versus $5,044 in Bat Yam.

Seoul $4,125
Bat Yam $5,044

Living in Seoul costs roughly 28% less than in Bat Yam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 36% above, Bat Yam 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 ₩12.1K

$22.27 ₪69.8

-59.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 ₩91.1K

$98.5 ₪309

-30.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 ₩9,800

$16.69 ₪52.3

-55.96%

Cappuccino

$4.12 ₩5,491

$4.67 ₪14.63

-11.78%

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

$1.64 ₩2,192

$2.83 ₪8.87

-42.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,075

$2.14 ₪6.72

-62.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩4,946

$10.46 ₪32.79

-64.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 ₩8,179

$9.97 ₪31.25

-38.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ₩2,723

$2.35 ₪7.37

-13.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 ₩4,281

$2.65 ₪8.30

21.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 ₩5,851

$2.61 ₪8.17

68.20%

Eggs

$3.59 ₩4,789

$4.58 ₪14.37

-21.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.23 ₩24.3K

$7.67 ₪24.05

137.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 ₩14.0K

$11.97 ₪37.52

-12.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.89 ₩35.9K

$16.42 ₪51.5

63.76%

Apples (1kg)

$7.86 ₩10.5K

$3.31 ₪10.38

137.46%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,706

$2.93 ₪9.19

20.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.70 ₩7,607

$1.81 ₪5.66

214.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.18 ₩8,239

$2.52 ₪7.91

145.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 ₩5,018

$1.69 ₪5.31

122.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 ₩3,350

$1.57 ₪4.94

59.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 ₩3,754

$1.97 ₪6.17

43.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,480

$0.94 ₪2.94

18.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,401

$14.09 ₪44.19

-76.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 ₩24.9K

$12.68 ₪39.77

47.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,225

$2.89 ₪9.06

-16.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ₩4,478

$2.53 ₪7.95

32.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₩1,589

$2.61 ₪8.17

-54.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.13 ₩61.5K

$91.5 ₪287

-49.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ₩4,737

$4.48 ₪14.05

-20.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩805

$1.34 ₪4.19

-55.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 ₩12.1K

$40.30 ₪126

-77.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₩1,917

$2.62 ₪8.23

-45.04%

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

$30.3K ₩40.4M

$57.6K ₪180.6K

-47.46%

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

$28.9K ₩38.5M

$57.8K ₪181.4K

-50.04%

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

$213 ₩283.4K

$399 ₪1,250

-46.69%

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

$35.83 ₩47.8K

$10.45 ₪32.77

242.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.39 ₩28.5K

$54.6 ₪171

-60.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 ₩82.2K

$78.8 ₪247

-21.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.41 ₩21.9K

$19.70 ₪61.8

-16.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.42 ₩15.2K

$14.64 ₪45.89

-21.99%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$1,132 ₪3,550

72.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K ₩30.4M

$24.3K ₪76.2K

-6.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₩79.7K

$49.60 ₪156

20.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.19 ₩45.6K

$40.10 ₪126

-14.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 ₩88.0K

$140 ₪439

-52.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 ₩109.2K

$151 ₪474

-45.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$924 ₩1.2M

$1,593 ₪4,995

-41.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ₩879.0K

$986 ₪3,093

-33.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,012 ₩4.0M

$2,441 ₪7,654

23.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 ₩1.9M

$1,700 ₪5,331

-15.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.2K ₩36.2M

$10.1K ₪31.6K

169.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K ₩15.1M

$8,752 ₪27.4K

29.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,570 ₩4.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

5.07

-19.53%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bat Yam: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$659 35.7%

Bat Yam

$986 38.6% 49.6% $327

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$483 26.2%

Bat Yam

$337 13.2% 30.3% $146

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$270 14.6%

Bat Yam

$464 18.1% 71.9% $194

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10%

Bat Yam

$376 14.7% 104% $192

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$109 5.9%

Bat Yam

$171 6.7% 57.4% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$84 4.6%

Bat Yam

$108 4.2% 27.9% $24

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Bat Yam

$113 4.4% 96.7% $56

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $924 in Seoul and $1,593 in Bat Yam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68 in Seoul vs $98 in Bat Yam. Groceries flip the comparison at $483 vs $337, with Bat Yam cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇮🇱 Bat Yam

🕒 Local time

19:40 7:40 PM

12:40 12:40 PM

7 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

158,565

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Israeli New Shekel ILS ₪

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.72 EUR

1 ILS = 0.319 USD

1 ILS = 0.286 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,488 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.72 EUR).

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3.14 ILS (1 ILS = 0.319 USD). 1 EUR = 3.5 ILS (1 ILS = 0.286 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Seoul Bat Yam 8,090 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Bat Yam

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 Bat Yam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul is about 28% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $2,771 in Seoul and $3,834 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: $924 in Seoul versus $1,593 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 $68 versus $98 in Bat Yam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,848 per month in Seoul versus $2,556 in Bat Yam – Seoul is about 28% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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 both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.