Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Geelong Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Geelong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,742 in Seoul versus $2,367 in Geelong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,892 in Seoul versus $3,084 in Geelong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,043 in Seoul versus $3,800 in Geelong.

Living in Seoul costs roughly 26% less than in Geelong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 30% above, Geelong 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.2K

$16.43 A$23.03

-47.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩83.2K

$77.6 A$109

-30.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,657

$9.51 A$13.33

-33.75%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,952

$3.26 A$4.57

19.02%

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

$1.72 ₩2,643

$2.60 A$3.64

-33.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,311

$2.17 A$3.04

-60.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,509

$6.12 A$8.57

-41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩9,098

$4.90 A$6.86

21.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,409

$1.46 A$2.04

52.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,286

$2.19 A$3.07

57.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,802

$0.88 A$1.24

255.68%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,884

$2.77 A$3.88

15.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.8K

$7.58 A$10.63

87.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.8K

$9.49 A$13.30

15.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩53.2K

$14.77 A$20.70

135.21%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.2K

$2.87 A$4.02

177.70%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,305

$2.78 A$3.90

24.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,321

$2.90 A$4.07

87.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.2K

$2.28 A$3.20

193.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,828

$2.45 A$3.43

55.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,514

$2.05 A$2.87

43.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩4,023

$1.55 A$2.17

69.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,946

$1.65 A$2.32

-23.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,947

$31.34 A$43.92

-89.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.9K

$13.79 A$19.32

41.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,709

$3.57 A$5.00

-32.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,976

$3.01 A$4.22

7.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,710

$6.82 A$9.56

-83.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩73.4K

$117 A$164

-59.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,456

$3.55 A$4.97

0.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩827

$1.40 A$1.97

-61.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.4K

$27.60 A$38.68

-68.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,910

$1.19 A$1.66

5.04%

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

$28.3K ₩43.3M

$28.6K A$40.1K

-1.17%

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

$25.3K ₩38.8M

$23.1K A$32.3K

9.80%

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

$161 ₩246.1K

$140 A$196

15.11%

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

$34.38 ₩52.7K

$20.80 A$29.14

65.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.3K

$50.6 A$70.9

-55.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩87.3K

$52.7 A$73.8

8.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.6K

$14.36 A$20.13

61.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.1K

$11.75 A$16.46

-4.77%

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

$412 ₩631.5K

$1,748 A$2,449

-76.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩36.2M

$19.4K A$27.2K

21.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩89.9K

$67.3 A$94.3

-12.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩71.7K

$44.01 A$61.7

6.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩120.0K

$101 A$142

-22.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩175.0K

$89.4 A$125

27.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.5M

$1,489 A$2,087

-35.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩924.7K

$1,236 A$1,731

-51.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩4.0M

$1,209 A$1,694

113.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$1,225 A$1,717

6.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.8M

$6,740 A$9,444

169.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.1M

$5,423 A$7,598

70.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$3,163 A$4,432

-2.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

6.19

-33.12%

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

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Geelong: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Seoul and $1,489 in Geelong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Geelong pays 2% 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: $54.0 in Seoul vs $78.0 in Geelong. Groceries flip the comparison at $500 vs $309, with Geelong cheaper for home cooking.

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 Geelong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul and Geelong differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,742 vs $2,367 including rent). Seoul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Geelong earns 2% less. 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: $957 in Seoul versus $1,489 in Geelong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,742 per month in Seoul versus $2,367 in Geelong – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Seoul runs roughly 145% less than in Geelong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,742 in Seoul versus $2,367 in Geelong, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seoul but tight or insufficient in Geelong. 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 Geelong 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 36% less than in Geelong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.