Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Clark Freeport

For one person, living is cheaper in Clark Freeport: $728 a month against $1,804 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Clark Freeport
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Clark Freeport Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,804

/mo nomad

Clark Freeport

🇵🇭 Philippines

$728

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Clark Freeport

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,804 in Seoul versus $728 in Clark Freeport.

Seoul $1,804
Clark Freeport $728

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,877 in Seoul versus $1,107 in Clark Freeport.

Seoul $2,877
Clark Freeport $1,107

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,950 in Seoul versus $1,485 in Clark Freeport.

Seoul $3,950
Clark Freeport $1,485

Living in Seoul is roughly 148% more expensive than in Clark Freeport, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, Clark Freeport is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.1K

$3.79 ₱239

140.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 ₩88.6K

$16.54 ₱1,042

303.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 ₩9,959

$2.76 ₱174

171.38%

Cappuccino

$4.19 ₩5,569

$2.27 ₱143

84.58%

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

$1.55 ₩2,067

$0.62 ₱39.17

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,055

$0.31 ₱19.41

154.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,846

$1.17 ₱73.7

211.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₩8,164

$1.90 ₱120

223.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₩2,811

$1.61 ₱101

31.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₩4,051

$1.16 ₱72.8

162.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,599

$0.91 ₱57.3

362.64%

Eggs

$3.54 ₩4,709

$1.95 ₱123

81.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.02 ₩24.0K

$5.42 ₱341

232.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 ₩13.8K

$4.20 ₱264

146.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.47 ₩35.2K

$7.08 ₱446

273.87%

Apples (1kg)

$7.91 ₩10.5K

$2.35 ₱148

236.60%

Banana (1kg)

$3.44 ₩4,578

$1.58 ₱99.7

117.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 ₩7,493

$2.43 ₱153

132.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,517

$1.12 ₱70.3

472.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 ₩4,938

$1.95 ₱123

90.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 ₩3,345

$1.95 ₱123

29.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 ₩3,816

$0.92 ₱57.7

211.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,536

$0.58 ₱36.79

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$3.02 ₱190

11.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ₩24.9K

$7.75 ₱488

141.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,036

$0.96 ₱60.4

137.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₩4,397

$1.85 ₱117

78.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,497

$0.20 ₱12.58

465.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.73 ₩62.1K

$10.93 ₱688

327.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ₩4,684

$0.73 ₱46.09

382.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₩849

$0.23 ₱14.53

178.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 ₩11.7K

$1.94 ₱122

351.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₩1,930

$1.24 ₱78.3

16.94%

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

$29.7K ₩39.4M

$21.6K ₱1.4M

37.21%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

47.20%

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

$211 ₩280.4K

$124 ₱7,804

70.12%

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

$35.36 ₩47.0K

$14.89 ₱937

137.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.57 ₩27.4K

$24.30 ₱1,530

-15.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₩76.7K

$31.96 ₱2,012

80.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 ₩21.5K

$4.77 ₱300

239.62%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 ₩15.1K

$5.27 ₱332

115.75%

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

$1,967 ₩2.6M

$135 ₱8,486

1359.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K ₩30.3M

$7,924 ₱498.9K

187.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ₩76.4K

$33.07 ₱2,082

73.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.08 ₩44.0K

$19.65 ₱1,237

68.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩93.2K

$71.5 ₱4,503

-1.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 ₩112.0K

$56.2 ₱3,536

50.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 ₩1.2M

$266 ₱16.7K

230.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩829.7K

$170 ₱10.7K

266.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,513 ₩3.3M

$508 ₱32.0K

394.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 ₩1.7M

$351 ₱22.1K

266.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$30.4K ₩40.4M

$2,385 ₱150.2K

1173.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$991 ₱62.4K

1098.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,599 ₩4.8M

$313 ₱19.7K

1047.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

6.79

-39.91%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 18, 2026

Last update for Clark Freeport: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.6%

Clark Freeport

$170 23.4% 72.7% $454

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$480 26.6%

Clark Freeport

$179 24.5% 62.8% $301

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$267 14.8%

Clark Freeport

$163 22.4% 38.9% $104

Eating Out

Seoul

$185 10.3%

Clark Freeport

$79 10.9% 57.3% $106

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Clark Freeport

$81 11.2% 26.3% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Clark Freeport

$43 5.8% 47.2% $38

Getting Around

Seoul

$58 3.2%

Clark Freeport

$14 1.9% 76.5% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $878 in Seoul and $266 in Clark Freeport. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 1048% 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 $17.00 in Clark Freeport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $480 vs $179 per month, with Clark Freeport cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Clark Freeport

🕒 Local time

04:58 4:58 AM

03:58 3:58 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Seoul Clark Freeport 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Clark Freeport

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 Clark Freeport: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul and Clark Freeport differ by about 148% in total monthly costs ($1,804 vs $728 including rent). Clark Freeport is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1048% 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: $878 in Seoul versus $266 in Clark Freeport. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Clark Freeport – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $67.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,804 per month in Seoul versus $728 in Clark Freeport – a 148% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $728 in Clark Freeport versus $1,804 in Seoul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Clark Freeport but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Clark Freeport 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 Clark Freeport 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 Clark Freeport gentler on the wallet – expenses run 148% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.