Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Des Moines, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Seoul: $1,804 a month against $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,804

/mo nomad

Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,804 in Seoul versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA.

Seoul $1,804
Des Moines, IA $2,171

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,877 in Seoul versus $3,236 in Des Moines, IA.

Seoul $2,877
Des Moines, IA $3,236

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,950 in Seoul versus $4,301 in Des Moines, IA.

Seoul $3,950
Des Moines, IA $4,301

Living in Seoul costs roughly 17% less than in Des Moines, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 33% above, Des Moines, IA 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.1K

$19.69 $19.69

-53.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 ₩88.6K

$80.8 $80.8

-17.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 ₩9,959

$12.22 $12.22

-38.71%

Cappuccino

$4.19 ₩5,569

$6.16 $6.16

-31.98%

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

$1.55 ₩2,067

$2.93 $2.93

-47.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,055

$2.56 $2.56

-69.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,846

$4.99 $4.99

-27.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₩8,164

$5.89 $5.89

4.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₩2,811

$0.91 $0.91

131.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₩4,051

$3.03 $3.03

0.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,599

$3.38 $3.38

24.56%

Eggs

$3.54 ₩4,709

$4.00 $4.00

-11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.02 ₩24.0K

$9.69 $9.69

85.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 ₩13.8K

$9.91 $9.91

4.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.47 ₩35.2K

$13.68 $13.68

93.49%

Apples (1kg)

$7.91 ₩10.5K

$4.33 $4.33

82.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.44 ₩4,578

$1.51 $1.51

127.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 ₩7,493

$4.54 $4.54

24.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,517

$3.68 $3.68

74.18%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 ₩4,938

$3.07 $3.07

20.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 ₩3,345

$2.14 $2.14

17.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 ₩3,816

$2.38 $2.38

20.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,536

$2.19 $2.19

-47.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$7.85 $7.85

-57.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ₩24.9K

$14.79 $14.79

26.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,036

$1.70 $1.70

34.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₩4,397

$3.09 $3.09

7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,497

$1.73 $1.73

-34.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.73 ₩62.1K

$58.1 $58.1

-19.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ₩4,684

$1.97 $1.97

78.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₩849

$1.23 $1.23

-47.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 ₩11.7K

$19.70 $19.70

-55.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₩1,930

$0.93 $0.93

55.91%

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

$29.7K ₩39.4M

$27.2K $27.2K

9.16%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$25.1K $25.1K

12.12%

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

$211 ₩280.4K

$185 $185

14.23%

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

$35.36 ₩47.0K

$53.6 $53.6

-34.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.57 ₩27.4K

$70.2 $70.2

-70.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₩76.7K

$63.8 $63.8

-9.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 ₩21.5K

$20.14 $20.14

-19.56%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 ₩15.1K

$9.99 $9.99

13.81%

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

$1,967 ₩2.6M

$1,187 $1,187

65.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K ₩30.3M

$12.0K $12.0K

90.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ₩76.4K

$59.5 $59.5

-3.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.08 ₩44.0K

$42.98 $42.98

-23.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩93.2K

$101 $101

-30.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 ₩112.0K

$145 $145

-41.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 ₩1.2M

$1,177 $1,177

-25.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩829.7K

$872 $872

-28.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,513 ₩3.3M

$1,738 $1,738

44.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 ₩1.7M

$1,394 $1,394

-7.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$30.4K ₩40.4M

$2,320 $2,320

1209.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$2,325 $2,325

411.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,599 ₩4.8M

$3,647 $3,647

-1.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

6.56

-37.80%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 18, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.6%

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2% 39.8% $248

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$480 26.6%

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1% 27.1% $130

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$267 14.8%

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2% 15.6% $42

Eating Out

Seoul

$185 10.3%

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1% 76.3% $141

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2% 42.3% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9% 4.1% $3.3

Getting Around

Seoul

$58 3.2%

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4% 26.2% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $878 in Seoul and $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 1% 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 $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. Groceries flip the comparison at $480 vs $349, with Des Moines, IA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🕒 Local time

19:20 7:20 PM

05:20 5:20 AM

14 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

214,133

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

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Seoul Des Moines, IA 10,280 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Seoul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Des Moines, IA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $878 in Seoul versus $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seoul – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. 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 $2,171 in Des Moines, IA – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,804 in Seoul versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seoul but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Seoul 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 Des Moines, IA 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 Seoul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.