Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Daejeon Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Daejeon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,742 per month in Seoul vs $1,304 in Daejeon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Seoul vs $2,073 in Daejeon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,043 per month in Seoul vs $2,843 in Daejeon, rent included.

Seoul costs about 34% more than Daejeon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seoul sits 30% above the global median, while Daejeon is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.0K

$7.29 ₩11.0K

17.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩82.2K

$36.19 ₩54.8K

49.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,550

$5.56 ₩8,418

13.31%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,886

$3.57 ₩5,408

8.68%

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

$1.72 ₩2,613

$1.50 ₩2,267

14.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,296

$0.84 ₩1,270

2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,448

$3.25 ₩4,926

10.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩8,998

$5.00 ₩7,580

18.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,371

$2.16 ₩3,268

2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,228

$2.67 ₩4,051

29.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,749

$2.61 ₩3,956

19.92%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,830

$2.55 ₩3,859

25.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.5K

$10.55 ₩16.0K

34.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.6K

$7.99 ₩12.1K

37.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩52.6K

$20.62 ₩31.3K

68.48%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.1K

$8.43 ₩12.8K

-5.46%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,247

$3.23 ₩4,897

7.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,229

$5.75 ₩8,716

-5.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.1K

$5.21 ₩7,892

28.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,763

$5.21 ₩7,888

-27.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,465

$2.68 ₩4,059

10.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩3,978

$1.99 ₩3,013

32.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,924

$1.17 ₩1,774

8.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,893

$3.33 ₩5,044

-3.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.5K

$16.66 ₩25.3K

16.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,668

$1.71 ₩2,586

41.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,921

$3.50 ₩5,303

-7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,691

$1.11 ₩1,689

0.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩72.6K

$11.06 ₩16.8K

332.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,396

$2.75 ₩4,161

29.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩818

$0.83 ₩1,260

-34.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.2K

$16.49 ₩25.0K

-47.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,889

$1.21 ₩1,840

3.31%

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

$28.3K ₩42.8M

$28.1K ₩42.6M

0.56%

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

$25.3K ₩38.4M

$10.9K ₩16.4M

133.46%

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

$161 ₩243.4K

$172 ₩260.8K

-6.69%

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

$34.38 ₩52.1K

$43.90 ₩66.5K

-21.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.0K

$24.69 ₩37.4K

-9.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩86.4K

$30.15 ₩45.7K

89.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.2K

$22.24 ₩33.7K

4.45%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.0K

$11.17 ₩16.9K

0.18%

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

$412 ₩624.5K

$287 ₩434.8K

43.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩35.8M

$35.4K ₩53.7M

-33.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩88.9K

$62.4 ₩94.5K

-5.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩70.9K

$40.25 ₩61.0K

16.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩118.6K

$88.6 ₩134.2K

-11.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩173.0K

$103 ₩156.0K

10.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.4M

$368 ₩557.3K

160.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩914.5K

$318 ₩481.6K

89.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩3.9M

$917 ₩1.4M

181.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$606 ₩917.6K

116.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.5M

$4,941 ₩7.5M

267.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.0M

$3,930 ₩6.0M

134.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$2,115 ₩3.2M

46.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.77

9.81%

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

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Daejeon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Seoul versus $368 in Daejeon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 46% higher in Seoul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Seoul versus $36.00 in Daejeon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $500 vs $405 – making Daejeon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Daejeon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 34% more than Daejeon, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,613 per month in Seoul and $1,956 in Daejeon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Daejeon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,742 in Seoul and $1,304 in Daejeon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 333% less in Daejeon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Daejeon, where all-in costs run around $1,304, than in Seoul at $1,742. In Daejeon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Daejeon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Daejeon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seoul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.