Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Davao

For one person, living is cheaper in Davao: $794 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Davao
Learn more

Davao Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Davao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$794

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Davao

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $794 in Davao.

Seoul $1,794
Davao $794

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $1,225 in Davao.

Seoul $2,863
Davao $1,225

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $1,656 in Davao.

Seoul $3,931
Davao $1,656

Living in Seoul is roughly 126% more expensive than in Davao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, Davao is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$4.81 ₱303

82.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$26.69 ₱1,681

156.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$3.94 ₱248

91.37%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.71 ₱170

56.09%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$1.04 ₱65.3

56.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.68 ₱42.97

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$1.61 ₱102

126.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$2.34 ₱147

162.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$2.01 ₱126

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.13 ₱71.0

176.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$0.93 ₱58.4

364.52%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.88 ₱119

92.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$6.52 ₱411

173.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.85 ₱306

115.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$9.18 ₱578

181.05%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.70 ₱170

183.70%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.10 ₱69.3

207.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.36 ₱148

146.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.15 ₱72.6

457.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$2.02 ₱127

85.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$3.53 ₱222

-28.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$1.21 ₱76.1

134.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.68 ₱42.61

63.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$2.42 ₱152

38.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$7.77 ₱489

137.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$1.24 ₱78.2

93.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$1.68 ₱106

100.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.35 ₱21.73

225.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$13.58 ₱855

239.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$0.81 ₱51.2

330.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.23 ₱14.41

173.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$1.95 ₱123

354.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$1.28 ₱80.5

17.97%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

38.90%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$18.9K ₱1.2M

49.19%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$106 ₱6,688

104.76%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$19.39 ₱1,221

81.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$31.90 ₱2,009

-33.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$33.90 ₱2,135

71.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$3.61 ₱228

345.98%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$4.70 ₱296

140.64%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$107 ₱6,766

1712.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$7,555 ₱475.7K

202.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$61.2 ₱3,852

-6.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$30.84 ₱1,942

8.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$71.5 ₱4,502

-0.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$62.5 ₱3,935

32.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$280 ₱17.6K

221.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$172 ₱10.8K

256.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$629 ₱39.6K

301.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$320 ₱20.1K

295.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$1,640 ₱103.2K

1694.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$1,429 ₱90.0K

732.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$214 ₱13.5K

1606.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

8.31

-50.90%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Davao: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Davao

$172 21.6% 71.9% $440

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Davao

$200 25.2% 58% $276

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Davao

$158 19.8% 42.5% $116

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Davao

$102 12.9% 44.3% $81

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Davao

$102 12.8% 7.5% $8.3

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Davao

$43 5.5% 46.3% $37

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Davao

$17 2.1% 70.5% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Seoul and $280 in Davao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 1606% 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: $68.0 in Seoul vs $27.00 in Davao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $477 vs $200 per month, with Davao cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Davao

🕒 Local time

06:22 6:22 AM

05:22 5:22 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

1,632,991

💱 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 17, 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 17, 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 Davao 3,390 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Davao

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 Davao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Davao is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 126% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1606% 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: $901 in Seoul versus $280 in Davao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Davao – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $68.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,794 per month in Seoul versus $794 in Davao – a 126% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $794 in Davao versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Davao but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Davao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Davao is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seoul, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Seoul and Davao 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 Davao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 126% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.