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: $1,752 in Seoul versus $2,674 in Geelong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,801 in Seoul versus $3,624 in Geelong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,850 in Seoul versus $4,573 in Geelong.

Living in Seoul costs roughly 34% less than in Geelong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 28% above, Geelong 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 ₩13.2K

$17.91 A$24.86

-45.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 ₩89.0K

$87.5 A$121

-24.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 ₩9,685

$10.82 A$15.01

-34.01%

Cappuccino

$4.02 ₩5,453

$3.78 A$5.24

6.35%

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

$1.64 ₩2,218

$2.67 A$3.71

-38.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,119

$2.27 A$3.15

-63.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₩4,865

$6.55 A$9.10

-45.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 ₩7,772

$5.83 A$8.09

-1.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₩2,855

$1.70 A$2.36

24.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 ₩4,217

$2.28 A$3.16

36.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 ₩5,764

$1.48 A$2.06

187.16%

Eggs

$3.38 ₩4,579

$3.94 A$5.47

-14.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.01 ₩23.1K

$8.65 A$12.00

96.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.06 ₩13.6K

$9.50 A$13.18

5.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.88 ₩33.7K

$15.91 A$22.08

56.38%

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 ₩9,975

$3.52 A$4.89

109.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.47 ₩4,706

$3.04 A$4.22

14.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.55 ₩7,520

$2.96 A$4.11

87.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 ₩8,482

$3.34 A$4.64

87.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.65 ₩4,942

$3.10 A$4.30

17.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 ₩3,298

$2.23 A$3.09

8.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 ₩3,697

$2.19 A$3.04

24.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₩1,464

$1.70 A$2.36

-36.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,386

$34.43 A$47.80

-90.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.34 ₩24.9K

$12.30 A$17.07

49.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,202

$3.73 A$5.17

-36.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ₩4,236

$3.04 A$4.21

2.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 ₩1,577

$7.73 A$10.73

-84.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.79 ₩60.7K

$130 A$180

-65.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩4,821

$4.24 A$5.88

-16.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩793

$1.41 A$1.95

-58.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 ₩12.0K

$31.07 A$43.14

-71.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₩1,964

$1.33 A$1.84

9.02%

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

$29.1K ₩39.4M

$29.1K A$40.4K

0.04%

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

$28.1K ₩38.1M

$27.7K A$38.5K

1.38%

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

$196 ₩266.4K

$158 A$219

24.65%

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

$34.49 ₩46.8K

$26.36 A$36.59

30.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.80 ₩26.8K

$58.8 A$81.7

-66.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩77.3K

$58.6 A$81.4

-2.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 ₩21.8K

$16.13 A$22.39

-0.50%

Cinema Ticket

$11.04 ₩15.0K

$13.11 A$18.21

-15.79%

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

$1,891 ₩2.6M

$2,220 A$3,082

-14.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.9M

$33.0K A$45.8K

-33.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 ₩76.4K

$81.2 A$113

-30.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.45 ₩44.0K

$51.7 A$71.8

-37.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 ₩92.5K

$95.0 A$132

-28.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 ₩107.7K

$105 A$146

-24.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ₩1.2M

$1,340 A$1,860

-35.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 ₩814.8K

$1,426 A$1,979

-57.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ₩3.4M

$1,817 A$2,522

37.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 ₩1.7M

$1,548 A$2,149

-20.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.2K ₩38.2M

$6,704 A$9,306

320.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K ₩15.4M

$5,446 A$7,561

108.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,486 ₩4.7M

$3,126 A$4,339

11.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

5.85

-30.26%

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

Last update for Seoul: August 30, 2026

Last update for Geelong: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $865 in Seoul and $1,340 in Geelong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Seoul vs $87.0 in Geelong. Groceries flip the comparison at $464 vs $339, 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 53% in total monthly costs ($1,752 vs $2,674 including rent). Seoul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $865 in Seoul versus $1,340 in Geelong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,752 per month in Seoul versus $2,674 in Geelong – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Seoul runs roughly 189% less than in Geelong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,752 in Seoul versus $2,674 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 53% less than in Geelong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.