Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Coffs Harbour

For one person, living is cheaper in Seoul: $1,794 a month against $2,422 in Coffs Harbour, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,794
/mo nomad
Coffs Harbour
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,422
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Coffs Harbour

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $2,422 in Coffs Harbour.

  • Seoul $1,794
  • Coffs Harbour $2,422

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $3,551 in Coffs Harbour.

  • Seoul $2,863
  • Coffs Harbour $3,551

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $4,680 in Coffs Harbour.

  • Seoul $3,931
  • Coffs Harbour $4,680

Living in Seoul costs roughly 26% less than in Coffs Harbour, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 33% above, Coffs Harbour 79% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seoul
Coffs Harbour
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.80 ₩11.7K
$13.90 A$20.00
-36.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.4 ₩90.9K
$105 A$151
-34.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 ₩10.0K
$9.16 A$13.18
-17.69%
Cappuccino
$4.23 ₩5,624
$3.70 A$5.32
14.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 ₩2,167
$2.80 A$4.03
-41.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 ₩985
$1.94 A$2.80
-61.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.64 ₩4,843
$5.07 A$7.29
-28.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.15 ₩8,175
$5.53 A$7.96
11.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seoul
Coffs Harbour
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.01 ₩2,679
$1.52 A$2.18
32.24%
White Bread (500g)
$3.13 ₩4,164
$2.73 A$3.92
14.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.32 ₩5,744
$2.33 A$3.35
85.41%
Eggs
$3.61 ₩4,794
$3.40 A$4.89
6.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.83 ₩23.7K
$9.04 A$13.00
97.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 ₩13.9K
$7.15 A$10.28
46.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.80 ₩34.3K
$14.16 A$20.38
82.20%
Apples (1kg)
$7.66 ₩10.2K
$3.81 A$5.49
101.05%
Banana (1kg)
$3.38 ₩4,499
$3.03 A$4.37
11.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.81 ₩7,723
$3.47 A$5.00
67.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.41 ₩8,520
$4.25 A$6.12
50.82%
Potato (1kg)
$3.75 ₩4,983
$1.35 A$1.95
177.78%
Onion (1kg)
$2.54 ₩3,375
$2.50 A$3.59
1.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.84 ₩3,782
$2.41 A$3.47
17.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 ₩1,472
$2.33 A$3.35
-52.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.35 ₩4,455
$31.57 A$45.43
-89.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.49 ₩24.6K
$14.01 A$20.16
31.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₩3,185
$5.90 A$8.49
-59.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 ₩4,480
$6.76 A$9.72
-50.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Seoul
Coffs Harbour
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.14 ₩1,521
$4.84 A$6.97
-76.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$46.11 ₩61.3K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.49 ₩4,643
$2.10 A$3.03
66.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.63 ₩840
$1.55 A$2.24
-59.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.86 ₩11.8K
$35.59 A$51.2
-75.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 ₩2,005
$1.29 A$1.86
17.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K ₩38.9M
$26.5K A$38.2K
10.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K ₩37.5M
$32.7K A$47.0K
-13.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
Coffs Harbour
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$218 ₩289.2K
$176 A$253
23.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.15 ₩46.7K
$10.55 A$15.18
233.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.29 ₩28.3K
$53.5 A$77.0
-60.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
Coffs Harbour
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.1 ₩77.2K
$108 A$155
-46.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.10 ₩21.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.31 ₩15.0K
$13.84 A$19.92
-18.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seoul
Coffs Harbour
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,948 ₩2.6M
$2,176 A$3,131
-10.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.9K ₩30.4M
$11.8K A$17.0K
93.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
Coffs Harbour
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.0 ₩75.8K
$74.9 A$108
-23.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.39 ₩44.4K
$54.0 A$77.7
-38.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.5 ₩95.0K
$104 A$150
-31.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.5 ₩109.7K
$120 A$173
-31.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seoul
Coffs Harbour
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$901 ₩1.2M
$1,387 A$1,997
-35.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$612 ₩813.5K
$1,259 A$1,812
-51.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,526 ₩3.4M
$2,108 A$3,033
19.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,266 ₩1.7M
$1,939 A$2,790
-34.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$29.4K ₩39.1M
$3,557 A$5,119
727.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.9K ₩15.8M
$3,546 A$5,102
235.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seoul
Coffs Harbour
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,650 ₩4.9M
$3,275 A$4,713
11.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
5.69
-28.30%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Coffs Harbour: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seoul
$612
Coffs Harbour
$1.3K 106% $648
Groceries & Markets
Seoul
$477
Coffs Harbour
$361 24.4% $116
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
$274
Coffs Harbour
$240 12.6% $34
Eating Out
Seoul
$184
Coffs Harbour
$238 29.7% $55
Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
$110
Coffs Harbour
$159 44.4% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
$81
Coffs Harbour
$135 67.7% $55
Getting Around
Seoul
$57
Coffs Harbour
$29 * 49% $28

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Seoul and $1,387 in Coffs Harbour. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Seoul vs $105 in Coffs Harbour. Groceries flip the comparison at $477 vs $361, with Coffs Harbour cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Seoul
🇦🇺 Coffs Harbour
🕒 Local time
05:56 5:56 AM
07:56 7:56 AM
2 h ahead of Seoul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,509,458 Capital
78,759
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seoul Coffs Harbour 8,020 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Seoul
  • Coffs Harbour

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 Coffs Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Coffs Harbour cheaper than Seoul?
Seoul is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and leisure. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Seoul or Coffs Harbour?
Average pay runs 11% higher in Seoul, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Seoul and Coffs Harbour?
Rent for a central apartment: $901 in Seoul versus $1,387 in Coffs Harbour. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Seoul and in Coffs Harbour?
Shoppers in Coffs Harbour pay roughly 32% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Seoul and in Coffs Harbour?
All in, you'll spend $1,794 per month in Seoul versus $2,422 in Coffs Harbour – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Seoul or in Coffs Harbour?
At $1,794 in Seoul versus $2,422 in Coffs Harbour, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seoul but tight or insufficient in Coffs Harbour. The gap between the two cities makes Seoul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Seoul or in Coffs Harbour?
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.
Which city is safer, Seoul or Coffs Harbour?
Safety-wise, Seoul and Coffs Harbour are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Seoul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Coffs Harbour. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Seoul vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?