Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Boryeong Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Boryeong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,770 in Seoul versus $1,500 in Boryeong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,895 in Seoul versus $2,357 in Boryeong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,020 in Seoul versus $3,214 in Boryeong.

Living in Seoul is roughly 18% more expensive than in Boryeong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 33% above, Boryeong 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 ₩12.5K

$8.75 ₩12.6K

-1.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 ₩80.8K

$55.4 ₩79.9K

1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 ₩9,358

$6.46 ₩9,329

0.31%

Cappuccino

$3.91 ₩5,641

$3.94 ₩5,681

-0.76%

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

$1.73 ₩2,494

$1.67 ₩2,407

3.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₩1,224

$0.80 ₩1,155

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,357

$3.59 ₩5,186

3.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 ₩8,236

$5.76 ₩8,309

-0.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,232

$2.15 ₩3,101

4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 ₩5,039

$3.42 ₩4,940

2.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,457

$3.13 ₩4,514

-1.28%

Eggs

$3.11 ₩4,493

$3.05 ₩4,402

1.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 ₩20.6K

$14.46 ₩20.9K

-1.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 ₩15.6K

$10.91 ₩15.8K

-1.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.05 ₩49.2K

$34.03 ₩49.1K

0.06%

Apples (1kg)

$7.77 ₩11.2K

$7.94 ₩11.5K

-2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$3.45 ₩4,985

$3.62 ₩5,222

-4.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 ₩8,126

$5.50 ₩7,944

2.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.66 ₩9,612

$6.62 ₩9,553

0.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 ₩5,535

$3.94 ₩5,688

-2.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,237

$2.96 ₩4,272

-1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 ₩3,616

$2.60 ₩3,747

-3.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,900

$1.16 ₩1,676

13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,755

$3.37 ₩4,858

-2.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.33 ₩25.0K

$17.19 ₩24.8K

0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₩3,368

$2.38 ₩3,438

-2.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₩4,795

$3.34 ₩4,821

-0.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,549

$1.11 ₩1,598

-3.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.68 ₩67.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₩5,206

$3.47 ₩5,003

4.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩759

$0.54 ₩778

-1.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩12.8K

$8.60 ₩12.4K

3.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₩1,812

$1.19 ₩1,714

5.88%

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

$27.5K ₩39.7M

$27.7K ₩40.0M

-0.56%

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

$25.5K ₩36.8M

$24.9K ₩35.9M

2.66%

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

$165 ₩237.7K

$160 ₩231.3K

2.76%

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

$34.26 ₩49.4K

$35.40 ₩51.1K

-3.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.53 ₩32.5K

$22.30 ₩32.2K

1.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩83.9K

$46.83 ₩67.6K

24.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.16 ₩33.4K

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 ₩16.2K

$11.06 ₩16.0K

1.27%

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

$417 ₩602.3K

$412 ₩594.6K

1.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₩33.6M

$23.9K ₩34.5M

-2.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ₩84.5K

$57.8 ₩83.5K

1.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.59 ₩68.7K

$46.75 ₩67.5K

1.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 ₩113.2K

$80.1 ₩115.6K

-2.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩168.1K

$116 ₩167.0K

0.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 ₩1.4M

$446 ₩643.5K

116.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 ₩859.2K

$376 ₩542.4K

58.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,556 ₩3.7M

$1,053 ₩1.5M

142.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 ₩1.9M

$763 ₩1.1M

70.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.0K ₩38.9M

$7,857 ₩11.3M

243.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K ₩15.2M

$5,599 ₩8.1M

88.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,214 ₩4.6M

$1,390 ₩2.0M

131.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Seoul: July 26, 2026

Last update for Boryeong: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $964 in Seoul and $446 in Boryeong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 131% 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: $56.0 in Seoul vs $55.0 in Boryeong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $493 vs $492 per month, with Boryeong cheaper across the board.

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 Boryeong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul and Boryeong differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,770 vs $1,500 including rent). Boryeong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 131% 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: $964 in Seoul versus $446 in Boryeong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $417 in Seoul versus $412 in Boryeong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Boryeong – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $56.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,500 in Boryeong versus $1,770 in Seoul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boryeong but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Boryeong 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 Boryeong 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 Boryeong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.