Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Changwon Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Changwon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,770 in Seoul versus $1,503 in Changwon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,895 in Seoul versus $2,313 in Changwon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,020 in Seoul versus $3,122 in Changwon.

Living in Seoul is roughly 18% more expensive than in Changwon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 ₩12.4K

$7.21 ₩10.4K

20.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 ₩80.5K

$27.95 ₩40.2K

100.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 ₩9,324

$5.25 ₩7,544

23.43%

Cappuccino

$3.91 ₩5,621

$3.61 ₩5,191

8.31%

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

$1.73 ₩2,485

$1.88 ₩2,706

-7.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₩1,220

$0.98 ₩1,414

-13.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,338

$2.92 ₩4,198

27.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 ₩8,206

$4.34 ₩6,242

31.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,221

$2.34 ₩3,363

-4.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 ₩5,020

$3.56 ₩5,119

-1.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,441

$3.12 ₩4,482

-0.96%

Eggs

$3.11 ₩4,477

$2.92 ₩4,193

6.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 ₩20.5K

$10.30 ₩14.8K

38.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 ₩15.5K

$8.15 ₩11.7K

32.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.05 ₩49.0K

$27.16 ₩39.1K

25.37%

Apples (1kg)

$7.77 ₩11.2K

$8.66 ₩12.4K

-10.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.45 ₩4,967

$3.15 ₩4,527

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 ₩8,097

$7.26 ₩10.4K

-22.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.66 ₩9,577

$5.10 ₩7,340

30.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 ₩5,515

$5.01 ₩7,199

-23.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,221

$2.91 ₩4,184

0.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 ₩3,603

$2.04 ₩2,932

23.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,894

$1.21 ₩1,747

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,738

$3.27 ₩4,704

0.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.33 ₩24.9K

$17.11 ₩24.6K

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₩3,356

$1.68 ₩2,412

38.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₩4,777

$3.49 ₩5,024

-4.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,544

$1.06 ₩1,520

0.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.68 ₩67.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₩5,187

$2.69 ₩3,866

34.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩756

$0.80 ₩1,153

-33.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩12.7K

$16.66 ₩24.0K

-46.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₩1,805

$1.17 ₩1,689

7.69%

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

$27.5K ₩39.6M

$27.6K ₩39.6M

-0.12%

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

$25.5K ₩36.7M

$25.3K ₩36.4M

0.86%

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

$165 ₩236.9K

$193 ₩276.9K

-14.46%

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

$34.26 ₩49.3K

$51.0 ₩73.3K

-32.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.53 ₩32.4K

$27.21 ₩39.1K

-17.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩83.6K

$52.3 ₩75.2K

11.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.16 ₩33.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 ₩16.1K

$11.45 ₩16.5K

-2.18%

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

$417 ₩600.1K

$490 ₩704.7K

-14.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₩33.5M

$14.2K ₩20.4M

64.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ₩84.2K

$103 ₩148.7K

-43.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.59 ₩68.4K

$47.07 ₩67.7K

1.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 ₩112.8K

$87.7 ₩126.2K

-10.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩167.5K

$119 ₩170.9K

-2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 ₩1.4M

$457 ₩657.9K

110.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 ₩856.0K

$377 ₩542.3K

57.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,556 ₩3.7M

$1,059 ₩1.5M

141.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 ₩1.9M

$772 ₩1.1M

68.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.0K ₩38.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K ₩15.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,214 ₩4.6M

$1,541 ₩2.2M

108.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

4.22

-1.90%

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

Last update for Seoul: July 26, 2026

Last update for Changwon: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $964 in Seoul and $457 in Changwon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 109% 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 $28.00 in Changwon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $493 vs $446 per month, with Changwon 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 Changwon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul and Changwon differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,770 vs $1,503 including rent). Changwon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 109% 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 $457 in Changwon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,770 per month in Seoul versus $1,503 in Changwon – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,503 in Changwon versus $1,770 in Seoul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Changwon but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Changwon 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 Changwon 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 Changwon 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.