Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Fiji

For one person, living is cheaper in Fiji: $709 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,822
/mo nomad
Fiji
🇫🇯 Fiji
$709
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Fiji

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,822 in Seoul versus $709 in Fiji.

  • Seoul $1,822
  • Fiji $709

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,847 in Seoul versus $1,144 in Fiji.

  • Seoul $2,847
  • Fiji $1,144

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,872 in Seoul versus $1,578 in Fiji.

  • Seoul $3,872
  • Fiji $1,578

Living in Seoul is roughly 157% more expensive than in Fiji, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 36% above, Fiji is 47% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seoul
Fiji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.10 ₩12.2K
$4.32 FJD 9.67
110.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.0 ₩90.0K
$31.65 FJD 70.9
111.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.42 ₩9,964
$6.54 FJD 14.64
13.46%
Cappuccino
$4.08 ₩5,482
$2.50 FJD 5.59
63.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ₩2,146
$1.35 FJD 3.01
18.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 ₩1,081
$1.05 FJD 2.34
-23.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.65 ₩4,898
$4.08 FJD 9.14
-10.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.94 ₩7,974
$4.04 FJD 9.05
47.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seoul
Fiji
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.05 ₩2,748
$1.25 FJD 2.80
64.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₩4,139
$0.26 FJD 0.59
1084.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.21 ₩5,659
$0.85 FJD 1.90
395.29%
Eggs
$3.57 ₩4,795
$3.08 FJD 6.90
15.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.95 ₩24.1K
$10.64 FJD 23.82
68.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.64 ₩14.3K
$5.30 FJD 11.87
100.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.44 ₩35.5K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$7.42 ₩9,969
$1.30 FJD 2.92
470.77%
Banana (1kg)
$3.53 ₩4,743
$0.86 FJD 1.94
310.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.87 ₩7,884
$1.83 FJD 4.10
220.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.37 ₩8,554
$1.31 FJD 2.93
386.26%
Potato (1kg)
$3.75 ₩5,040
$0.70 FJD 1.56
435.71%
Onion (1kg)
$2.49 ₩3,345
$0.74 FJD 1.65
236.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.92 ₩3,920
$0.88 FJD 1.96
231.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 ₩1,545
$0.52 FJD 1.16
121.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.29 ₩4,418
$10.95 FJD 24.51
-69.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.49 ₩24.8K
$6.19 FJD 13.86
198.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.28 ₩3,064
$3.97 FJD 8.89
-42.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28 ₩4,408
$4.12 FJD 9.22
-20.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Seoul
Fiji
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.14 ₩1,529
$0.93 FJD 2.07
22.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.47 ₩61.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.48 ₩4,674
$1.12 FJD 2.52
210.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 ₩805
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.70 ₩11.7K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 ₩2,008
$1.25 FJD 2.81
20.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K ₩39.1M
$46.1K FJD 103.2K
-36.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K ₩37.9M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
Fiji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$209 ₩280.5K
$53.5 FJD 120
290.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.13 ₩47.2K
$13.37 FJD 29.94
162.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.18 ₩28.4K
$17.80 FJD 39.86
18.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
Fiji
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.3 ₩77.0K
$21.89 FJD 49.01
161.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.89 ₩21.3K
$4.42 FJD 9.89
259.50%
Cinema Ticket
$11.33 ₩15.2K
$4.10 FJD 9.18
176.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seoul
Fiji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,902 ₩2.6M
$44.79 FJD 100
4147.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.5K ₩30.2M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
Fiji
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 ₩79.1K
$19.42 FJD 43.48
203.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.12 ₩43.1K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.1 ₩94.2K
$30.25 FJD 67.7
131.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.5 ₩110.8K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seoul
Fiji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$885 ₩1.2M
$680 FJD 1,523
30.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$624 ₩837.5K
$270 FJD 604
130.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,494 ₩3.3M
$1,095 FJD 2,452
127.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,275 ₩1.7M
$610 FJD 1,366
108.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$29.8K ₩40.1M
$1,289 FJD 2,886
2215.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.8K ₩15.9M
$1,293 FJD 2,896
816.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seoul
Fiji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,649 ₩4.9M
$538 FJD 1,205
578.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
6
-32.00%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Last update for Fiji: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seoul
$624
Fiji
$270 56.7% $354
Groceries & Markets
Seoul
$479
Fiji
$169 * 64.8% $310
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
$265
Fiji
$85 68.1% $181
Eating Out
Seoul
$184
Fiji
$122 33.5% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
$110
Fiji
$22 * 79.6% $87
Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
$80
Fiji
$30 62.4% $50
Getting Around
Seoul
$57
Fiji
$4.8 * 91.5% $52

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 $885 in Seoul and $680 in Fiji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 578% 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 $32.00 in Fiji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $479 vs $169 per month, with Fiji cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Seoul
🇫🇯 Fiji
🕒 Local time
17:05 5:05 PM
20:05 8:05 PM
3 h ahead of Seoul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,509,458 Capital
92,043
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,343 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.24 FJD (1 FJD = 0.447 USD). 1 EUR = 2.51 FJD (1 FJD = 0.398 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seoul Fiji 8,200 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Seoul
  • Fiji

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 Fiji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fiji cheaper than Seoul?
Fiji is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 157% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Seoul or Fiji?
Average pay runs 578% 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 Fiji?
Rent for a central apartment: $885 in Seoul versus $680 in Fiji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Seoul and in Fiji?
Supermarket bills run roughly 184% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Seoul and in Fiji?
All in, you'll spend $1,822 per month in Seoul versus $709 in Fiji – a 157% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Seoul or in Fiji?
At $709 in Fiji versus $1,822 in Seoul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fiji but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Fiji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Seoul or in Fiji?
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 Fiji?
Safety-wise, Seoul and Fiji 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 Fiji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 157% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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