Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Bintulu

For one person, living is cheaper in Bintulu: $849 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Bintulu
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Bintulu Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,822

/mo nomad

Bintulu

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$849

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Bintulu

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,822 in Seoul versus $849 in Bintulu.

Seoul $1,822
Bintulu $849

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,847 in Seoul versus $1,312 in Bintulu.

Seoul $2,847
Bintulu $1,312

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,872 in Seoul versus $1,775 in Bintulu.

Seoul $3,872
Bintulu $1,775

Living in Seoul is roughly 115% more expensive than in Bintulu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 36% above, Bintulu is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.2K

$3.95 MYR 16.13

130.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 ₩89.8K

$18.43 MYR 75.3

263.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₩9,941

$5.79 MYR 23.63

28.15%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩5,470

$2.99 MYR 12.20

36.45%

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

$1.60 ₩2,141

$0.63 MYR 2.59

153.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,078

$0.38 MYR 1.54

110.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩4,886

$2.98 MYR 12.17

22.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩7,956

$5.17 MYR 21.12

14.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₩2,742

$2.15 MYR 8.77

-4.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₩4,130

$1.37 MYR 5.59

124.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,646

$1.32 MYR 5.41

218.94%

Eggs

$3.57 ₩4,784

$2.16 MYR 8.83

65.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.95 ₩24.1K

$16.81 MYR 68.6

6.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 ₩14.3K

$3.48 MYR 14.19

205.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.44 ₩35.4K

$5.90 MYR 24.11

348.14%

Apples (1kg)

$7.42 ₩9,946

$1.76 MYR 7.19

321.59%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,732

$1.02 MYR 4.18

246.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 ₩7,866

$1.76 MYR 7.17

233.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 ₩8,534

$1.13 MYR 4.60

463.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,028

$0.51 MYR 2.08

635.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ₩3,337

$1.19 MYR 4.85

109.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 ₩3,911

$0.69 MYR 2.84

323.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,542

$0.42 MYR 1.71

173.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,408

$4.18 MYR 17.08

-21.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.8K

$19.74 MYR 80.6

-6.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,057

$3.01 MYR 12.29

-24.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₩4,398

$2.00 MYR 8.17

64.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,526

$1.20 MYR 4.91

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.47 ₩60.9K

$16.62 MYR 67.9

173.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩4,663

$1.02 MYR 4.18

241.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩803

$0.83 MYR 3.39

-27.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.70 ₩11.7K

$2.50 MYR 10.21

248.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,004

$0.63 MYR 2.57

138.10%

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

$29.1K ₩39.0M

$44.5K MYR 181.7K

-34.56%

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

$28.2K ₩37.8M

$38.5K MYR 157.0K

-26.70%

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

$209 ₩279.9K

$59.2 MYR 242

252.70%

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

$35.13 ₩47.1K

$31.51 MYR 129

11.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.18 ₩28.4K

$29.98 MYR 122

-29.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₩76.8K

$66.4 MYR 271

-13.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 ₩21.3K

$12.43 MYR 50.8

27.84%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 ₩15.2K

$4.33 MYR 17.67

161.66%

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

$1,902 ₩2.5M

$124 MYR 508

1429.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K ₩30.2M

$7,230 MYR 29.5K

211.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₩78.9K

$64.2 MYR 262

-8.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.12 ₩43.0K

$36.02 MYR 147

-10.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩94.0K

$80.5 MYR 329

-12.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩110.5K

$90.8 MYR 371

-9.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ₩1.2M

$220 MYR 898

302.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩835.5K

$157 MYR 642

296.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 ₩3.3M

$485 MYR 1,979

414.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ₩1.7M

$333 MYR 1,361

282.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.8K ₩40.0M

$1,730 MYR 7,062

1625.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.8K ₩15.9M

$1,137 MYR 4,644

941.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,649 ₩4.9M

$598 MYR 2,441

510.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.5

-9.33%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.7%

Bintulu

$157 18.5% 74.8% $466

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$479 26.7%

Bintulu

$232 27.4% 51.5% $247

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$265 14.8%

Bintulu

$121 14.2% 54.5% $144

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Bintulu

$114 13.5% 37.9% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Bintulu

$122 14.4% 11.5% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Bintulu

$75 8.9% 6.1% $4.9

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Bintulu

$27 3.1% 52.9% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $885 in Seoul and $220 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 510% 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: $67.0 in Seoul vs $18.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $479 vs $232 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇲🇾 Bintulu

🕒 Local time

20:52 8:52 PM

19:52 7:52 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

240,172

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.66 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.219 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,502 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.66 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.58 MYR (1 MYR = 0.219 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Seoul Bintulu 4,080 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Bintulu

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 Bintulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 115% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 510% 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: $885 in Seoul versus $220 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,822 per month in Seoul versus $849 in Bintulu – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 174% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $849 in Bintulu versus $1,822 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bintulu but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Bintulu 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 Bintulu 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 Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.