Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Berwick

For one person, living is cheaper in Seoul: $1,794 a month against $2,633 in Berwick, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
Learn more

Seoul Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Berwick
Learn more

Berwick Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Berwick

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,633

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Berwick

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $2,633 in Berwick.

Seoul $1,794
Berwick $2,633

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $3,679 in Berwick.

Seoul $2,863
Berwick $3,679

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $4,726 in Berwick.

Seoul $3,931
Berwick $4,726

Living in Seoul costs roughly 32% less than in Berwick, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 33% above, Berwick 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$17.05 A$24.54

-48.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$83.3 A$120

-17.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$10.61 A$15.26

-28.93%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$4.55 A$6.55

-7.03%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$2.82 A$4.06

-42.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$2.21 A$3.18

-66.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$7.44 A$10.71

-51.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$7.50 A$10.80

-18.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.57 A$2.26

28.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$2.50 A$3.59

25.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$2.08 A$2.99

107.69%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$4.25 A$6.11

-15.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$8.62 A$12.40

106.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$10.11 A$14.55

3.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$12.67 A$18.24

103.63%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$3.52 A$5.06

117.61%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$2.82 A$4.06

19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$3.00 A$4.32

93.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$4.92 A$7.08

30.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$3.06 A$4.40

22.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$2.48 A$3.58

2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$2.16 A$3.11

31.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$1.39 A$2.00

-20.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$40.63 A$58.5

-91.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$13.79 A$19.85

34.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$4.00 A$5.75

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$4.86 A$7.00

-30.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$2.58 A$3.71

-55.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$81.4 A$117

-43.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$3.05 A$4.39

14.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$1.45 A$2.08

-56.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$35.87 A$51.6

-75.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$1.36 A$1.96

11.03%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$25.8K A$37.2K

13.36%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$32.2K A$46.3K

-12.37%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$217 A$312

0.25%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$31.64 A$45.53

11.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$61.6 A$88.6

-65.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$63.6 A$91.5

-8.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$16.69 A$24.02

-3.54%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$13.94 A$20.07

-18.87%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$1,927 A$2,773

1.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$19.9K A$28.6K

15.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$80.9 A$116

-29.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$51.3 A$73.8

-34.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$113 A$163

-36.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$112 A$162

-26.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$1,214 A$1,747

-25.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$1,325 A$1,906

-53.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$2,240 A$3,223

12.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$1,820 A$2,620

-30.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$5,328 A$7,667

452.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$5,547 A$7,982

114.59%

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 Berwick: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Berwick

$1.3K 50.3% 117% $713

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Berwick

$348 13.2% 27% $129

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Berwick

$310 11.8% 13.2% $36

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Berwick

$295 11.2% 60.6% $111

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Berwick

$161 6.1% 46.3% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Berwick

$92 3.5% 13.4% $11

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Berwick

$102 3.9% 77.9% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Seoul and $1,214 in Berwick. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Seoul vs $83.0 in Berwick. Groceries flip the comparison at $477 vs $348, with Berwick cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇦🇺 Berwick

🕒 Local time

02:54 2:54 AM

04:54 4:54 AM

2 h ahead of Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

47,674

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

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).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seoul Berwick 8,620 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Berwick

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 Berwick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and leisure. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,692 in Seoul and $3,949 in Berwick 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: $901 in Seoul versus $1,214 in Berwick. 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 $68.0 versus $83.0 in Berwick. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,794 per month in Seoul versus $2,633 in Berwick – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,794 in Seoul versus $2,633 in Berwick, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seoul but tight or insufficient in Berwick. 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 Berwick 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 47% less than in Berwick. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.