Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Dubbo

For one person, living is cheaper in Seoul: $1,794 a month against $2,503 in Dubbo, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,794
/mo nomad
Dubbo
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,503
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Dubbo

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

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $2,503 in Dubbo, rent included.

  • Seoul $1,794
  • Dubbo $2,503

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $3,617 in Dubbo, rent included.

  • Seoul $2,863
  • Dubbo $3,617

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $4,732 in Dubbo, rent included.

  • Seoul $3,931
  • Dubbo $4,732

Seoul is about 28% cheaper than Dubbo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Seoul and Dubbo sit above the global median – Seoul by 33%, Dubbo by 85%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seoul
Dubbo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.80 ₩11.7K
$17.46 A$25.13
-49.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.4 ₩91.2K
$83.1 A$120
-17.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 ₩10.1K
$10.28 A$14.80
-26.65%
Cappuccino
$4.23 ₩5,644
$3.96 A$5.69
6.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 ₩2,175
$2.89 A$4.15
-43.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 ₩988
$2.21 A$3.18
-66.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.64 ₩4,860
$8.37 A$12.05
-56.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.15 ₩8,203
$8.45 A$12.16
-27.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seoul
Dubbo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.01 ₩2,688
$1.58 A$2.27
27.22%
White Bread (500g)
$3.13 ₩4,178
$2.74 A$3.94
14.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.32 ₩5,764
$2.30 A$3.30
87.83%
Eggs
$3.61 ₩4,810
$4.79 A$6.89
-24.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.83 ₩23.8K
$9.21 A$13.25
93.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 ₩13.9K
$9.23 A$13.29
13.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.80 ₩34.4K
$14.36 A$20.66
79.67%
Apples (1kg)
$7.66 ₩10.2K
$3.25 A$4.68
135.69%
Banana (1kg)
$3.38 ₩4,514
$3.86 A$5.56
-12.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.81 ₩7,750
$2.73 A$3.92
112.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.41 ₩8,549
$5.74 A$8.26
11.67%
Potato (1kg)
$3.75 ₩5,000
$2.40 A$3.45
56.25%
Onion (1kg)
$2.54 ₩3,387
$2.35 A$3.39
8.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.84 ₩3,796
$2.31 A$3.32
22.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 ₩1,477
$1.66 A$2.39
-33.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.35 ₩4,470
$32.59 A$46.90
-89.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.49 ₩24.7K
$14.18 A$20.40
30.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₩3,196
$4.55 A$6.54
-47.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 ₩4,495
$4.99 A$7.19
-32.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Seoul
Dubbo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.14 ₩1,526
$2.83 A$4.07
-59.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$46.11 ₩61.5K
$82.2 A$118
-43.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.49 ₩4,660
$3.46 A$4.98
0.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.63 ₩843
$1.83 A$2.63
-65.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.86 ₩11.8K
$45.60 A$65.6
-80.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 ₩2,012
$1.26 A$1.81
19.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K ₩39.1M
$27.3K A$39.3K
7.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K ₩37.6M
$29.2K A$42.0K
-3.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
Dubbo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$218 ₩290.2K
$200 A$288
8.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.15 ₩46.9K
$27.29 A$39.27
28.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.29 ₩28.4K
$83.1 A$120
-74.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
Dubbo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.1 ₩77.5K
$56.4 A$81.2
2.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.10 ₩21.5K
$17.53 A$25.22
-8.16%
Cinema Ticket
$11.31 ₩15.1K
$14.54 A$20.92
-22.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seoul
Dubbo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,948 ₩2.6M
$2,309 A$3,323
-15.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.9K ₩30.5M
$21.7K A$31.2K
5.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
Dubbo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.0 ₩76.1K
$76.0 A$109
-24.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.39 ₩44.5K
$54.2 A$78.0
-38.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.5 ₩95.4K
$108 A$156
-33.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.5 ₩110.1K
$122 A$175
-32.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seoul
Dubbo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$901 ₩1.2M
$956 A$1,375
-5.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$612 ₩816.3K
$1,172 A$1,687
-47.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,526 ₩3.4M
$1,596 A$2,297
58.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,266 ₩1.7M
$1,780 A$2,562
-28.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$29.4K ₩39.3M
$1,746 A$2,512
1585.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.9K ₩15.9M
$4,570 A$6,576
160.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seoul
Dubbo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,650 ₩4.9M
$2,142 A$3,082
70.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
5.84
-30.14%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dubbo: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seoul
$612
Dubbo
$1.2K 91.6% $560
Groceries & Markets
Seoul
$477
Dubbo
$370 22.5% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
$274
Dubbo
$311 13.4% $37
Eating Out
Seoul
$184
Dubbo
$297 61.7% $113
Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
$110
Dubbo
$162 47.2% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
$81
Dubbo
$85 5.9% $4.8
Getting Around
Seoul
$57
Dubbo
$106 85.1% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $956 in Dubbo. 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 70% higher in Seoul, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Seoul versus $83.0 in Dubbo. Groceries tell a different story – $477 in Seoul vs $370 in Dubbo – so Dubbo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Seoul
🇦🇺 Dubbo
🕒 Local time
04:03 4:03 AM
06:03 6:03 AM
2 h ahead of Seoul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,509,458 Capital
38,808
💱 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 = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,500 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.67 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 Dubbo 8,080 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Seoul
  • Dubbo

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 Dubbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Seoul and in Dubbo compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,794 in Seoul, $2,503 in Dubbo – roughly 39% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Seoul compared to Dubbo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,692 per month in Seoul and $3,755 in Dubbo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Seoul and Dubbo?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Seoul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Seoul and Dubbo?
Kindergarten costs $1,948 per month in Seoul and $2,309 in Dubbo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Dubbo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,794, than in Dubbo at $2,503. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubbo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Seoul or Dubbo?
Families tend to lean toward Seoul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Seoul or Dubbo safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Seoul and Dubbo?
If budget matters most, go with Seoul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dubbo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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