Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and George Town

For one person, living is cheaper in George Town: $956 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in George Town
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George Town Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

George Town

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$956

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in George Town

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $956 in George Town.

Seoul $1,794
George Town $956

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $1,599 in George Town.

Seoul $2,863
George Town $1,599

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $2,243 in George Town.

Seoul $3,931
George Town $2,243

Living in Seoul is roughly 88% more expensive than in George Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, George Town is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$3.41 MYR 13.92

158.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$15.33 MYR 62.5

345.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$4.55 MYR 18.58

65.71%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.61 MYR 10.66

62.07%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.78 MYR 3.16

108.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.35 MYR 1.43

111.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$2.42 MYR 9.88

50.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$4.46 MYR 18.21

37.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.85 MYR 7.56

8.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.05 MYR 4.28

198.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$1.68 MYR 6.85

157.14%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$2.21 MYR 9.03

63.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$13.65 MYR 55.7

30.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.51 MYR 18.38

131.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$8.49 MYR 34.62

203.89%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.43 MYR 9.89

215.23%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.43 MYR 5.84

136.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.23 MYR 9.12

160.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.19 MYR 4.86

438.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$0.93 MYR 3.77

303.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$0.85 MYR 3.45

198.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$0.70 MYR 2.87

305.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.57 MYR 2.31

94.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$4.42 MYR 18.03

-24.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$18.74 MYR 76.5

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$2.42 MYR 9.89

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$3.59 MYR 14.65

-6.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.47 MYR 1.91

142.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$10.84 MYR 44.24

325.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$1.24 MYR 5.08

181.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.51 MYR 2.09

23.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$6.87 MYR 28.03

28.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$0.84 MYR 3.43

79.76%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$42.3K MYR 172.6K

-30.83%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$28.7K MYR 117.0K

-1.67%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$36.87 MYR 150

489.96%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$8.21 MYR 33.51

328.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$28.51 MYR 116

-25.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$40.21 MYR 164

44.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$5.04 MYR 20.55

219.44%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$4.76 MYR 19.43

137.61%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$173 MYR 705

1027.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$4,848 MYR 19.8K

371.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$53.1 MYR 216

7.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$34.45 MYR 141

-3.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$74.5 MYR 304

-3.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$69.8 MYR 285

18.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$505 MYR 2,059

78.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$374 MYR 1,524

63.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$932 MYR 3,804

170.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$992 MYR 4,046

27.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$1,094 MYR 4,462

233.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.04

0.99%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for George Town: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

George Town

$374 39.1% 38.9% $238

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

George Town

$240 25.1% 49.7% $237

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

George Town

$74 7.7% 73.1% $200

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

George Town

$98 10.2% 46.8% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

George Town

$104 10.9% 5.2% $5.7

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

George Town

$50 5.2% 38.4% $31

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

George Town

$17 1.7% 71.2% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Seoul and $505 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 234% 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: $68.0 in Seoul vs $15.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $477 vs $240 per month, with George Town cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇲🇾 George Town

🕒 Local time

06:13 6:13 AM

05:13 5:13 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

794,313

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

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Seoul George Town 4,480 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

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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 George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 234% 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: $901 in Seoul versus $505 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 325% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,948 in Seoul versus $173 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $956 in George Town versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George Town is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seoul, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Seoul and George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.