Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Bega NSW

For one person, living is cheaper in Seoul: $1,794 a month against $2,404 in Bega NSW, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,794
/mo nomad
Bega NSW
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,404
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Bega NSW

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 Bega NSW actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $2,404 in Bega NSW, rent included.

  • Seoul $1,794
  • Bega NSW $2,404

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $3,627 in Bega NSW, rent included.

  • Seoul $2,863
  • Bega NSW $3,627

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $4,851 in Bega NSW, rent included.

  • Seoul $3,931
  • Bega NSW $4,851

Seoul is about 25% cheaper than Bega NSW, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Seoul and Bega NSW sit above the global median – Seoul by 33%, Bega NSW by 78%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seoul
Bega NSW
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.80 ₩11.7K
$18.81 A$27.07
-53.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.4 ₩90.9K
$86.5 A$125
-20.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 ₩10.0K
$11.53 A$16.59
-34.61%
Cappuccino
$4.23 ₩5,624
$3.89 A$5.59
8.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 ₩2,167
$2.53 A$3.64
-35.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 ₩985
$2.00 A$2.88
-63.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.64 ₩4,843
$8.19 A$11.78
-55.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.15 ₩8,175
$8.17 A$11.76
-24.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seoul
Bega NSW
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.01 ₩2,679
$1.39 A$2.00
44.60%
White Bread (500g)
$3.13 ₩4,164
$2.60 A$3.73
20.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.32 ₩5,744
$2.06 A$2.97
109.71%
Eggs
$3.61 ₩4,794
$5.25 A$7.56
-31.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.83 ₩23.7K
$8.85 A$12.73
101.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 ₩13.9K
$8.33 A$11.99
25.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.80 ₩34.3K
$15.95 A$22.95
61.76%
Apples (1kg)
$7.66 ₩10.2K
$3.36 A$4.83
127.98%
Banana (1kg)
$3.38 ₩4,499
$3.15 A$4.53
7.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.81 ₩7,723
$3.37 A$4.85
72.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.41 ₩8,520
$4.16 A$5.98
54.09%
Potato (1kg)
$3.75 ₩4,983
$2.94 A$4.23
27.55%
Onion (1kg)
$2.54 ₩3,375
$2.28 A$3.28
11.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.84 ₩3,782
$2.14 A$3.09
32.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 ₩1,472
$1.29 A$1.86
-13.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.35 ₩4,455
$44.84 A$64.5
-92.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.49 ₩24.6K
$14.90 A$21.45
24.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₩3,185
$5.22 A$7.51
-54.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 ₩4,480
$5.32 A$7.66
-36.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Seoul
Bega NSW
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.14 ₩1,521
$3.09 A$4.45
-63.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$46.11 ₩61.3K
$91.3 A$131
-49.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.49 ₩4,643
$3.58 A$5.15
-2.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.63 ₩840
$1.41 A$2.03
-55.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.86 ₩11.8K
$38.59 A$55.5
-77.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 ₩2,005
$1.52 A$2.19
-0.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K ₩38.9M
$24.3K A$34.9K
20.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K ₩37.5M
$28.4K A$40.9K
-0.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
Bega NSW
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$218 ₩289.2K
$214 A$308
1.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.15 ₩46.7K
$26.09 A$37.54
34.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.29 ₩28.3K
$51.9 A$74.8
-59.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
Bega NSW
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.1 ₩77.2K
$48.20 A$69.4
20.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.10 ₩21.4K
$17.78 A$25.59
-9.45%
Cinema Ticket
$11.31 ₩15.0K
$16.11 A$23.18
-29.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seoul
Bega NSW
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,948 ₩2.6M
$2,107 A$3,031
-7.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.9K ₩30.4M
$22.3K A$32.0K
2.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
Bega NSW
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.0 ₩75.8K
$84.8 A$122
-32.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.39 ₩44.4K
$58.7 A$84.4
-43.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.5 ₩95.0K
$107 A$154
-33.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.5 ₩109.7K
$117 A$168
-29.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seoul
Bega NSW
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$901 ₩1.2M
$1,491 A$2,146
-39.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$612 ₩813.5K
$1,085 A$1,561
-43.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,526 ₩3.4M
$1,936 A$2,786
30.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,266 ₩1.7M
$1,891 A$2,721
-33.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$29.4K ₩39.1M
$6,539 A$9,409
349.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.9K ₩15.8M
$5,228 A$7,523
127.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seoul
Bega NSW
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,650 ₩4.9M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
5.84
-30.14%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bega NSW: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seoul
$612
Bega NSW
$1.1K 77.3% $473
Groceries & Markets
Seoul
$477
Bega NSW
$359 24.7% $118
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
$274
Bega NSW
$292 6.7% $18
Eating Out
Seoul
$184
Bega NSW
$307 67.1% $123
Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
$110
Bega NSW
$165 50.2% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
$81
Bega NSW
$80 0.3% $0.3
Getting Around
Seoul
$57
Bega NSW
$114 99.4% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $1,491 in Bega NSW. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Seoul versus $87.0 in Bega NSW. Groceries tell a different story – $477 in Seoul vs $359 in Bega NSW – so Bega NSW wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Seoul
🇦🇺 Bega NSW
🕒 Local time
08:41 8:41 AM
10:41 10:41 AM
2 h ahead of Seoul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,509,458 Capital
4,683
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seoul Bega NSW 8,580 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Seoul
  • Bega NSW

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 Bega NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bega NSW cheaper than Seoul?
Yes – Bega NSW is pricier by about 34%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,692 per month in Seoul and $3,605 in Bega NSW. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Seoul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,948 per month in Seoul and $2,107 in Bega NSW. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Seoul and in Bega NSW?
Interestingly, groceries are about 33% cheaper in Bega NSW – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Seoul or in Bega NSW?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,794, than in Bega NSW at $2,404. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bega NSW it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Seoul or Bega NSW more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Seoul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Seoul or Bega NSW?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Seoul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bega NSW makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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