Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Gold Coast Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Gold Coast

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,765 in Seoul versus $2,568 in Gold Coast.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,881 in Seoul versus $3,645 in Gold Coast.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,997 in Seoul versus $4,722 in Gold Coast.

Living in Seoul costs roughly 31% less than in Gold Coast, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 32% above, Gold Coast 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 ₩13.0K

$16.45 A$23.55

-46.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩80.8K

$96.6 A$138

-43.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 ₩9,624

$9.57 A$13.70

-32.39%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,764

$3.48 A$4.98

11.49%

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

$1.65 ₩2,455

$2.58 A$3.69

-36.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,273

$2.24 A$3.20

-61.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ₩5,608

$6.35 A$9.09

-40.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 ₩8,514

$7.77 A$11.12

-26.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,368

$1.43 A$2.05

58.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 ₩5,093

$2.65 A$3.80

29.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,603

$2.34 A$3.35

32.05%

Eggs

$3.06 ₩4,546

$4.75 A$6.80

-35.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.51 ₩21.6K

$7.25 A$10.37

100.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 ₩16.0K

$8.99 A$12.87

19.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.54 ₩51.4K

$12.51 A$17.90

176.10%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 ₩11.4K

$3.52 A$5.04

117.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.54 ₩5,270

$2.68 A$3.84

32.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 ₩8,061

$3.74 A$5.35

44.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 ₩9,653

$3.72 A$5.32

74.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 ₩5,752

$2.36 A$3.38

63.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 ₩4,271

$2.39 A$3.43

20.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 ₩3,888

$1.98 A$2.84

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,959

$2.36 A$3.37

-44.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₩4,945

$32.11 A$45.97

-89.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.50 ₩24.5K

$14.36 A$20.57

14.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,546

$6.41 A$9.18

-62.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩5,014

$6.80 A$9.74

-50.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,600

$2.66 A$3.81

-59.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.87 ₩69.7K

$52.2 A$74.7

-10.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ₩5,151

$1.97 A$2.83

75.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩847

$1.45 A$2.07

-60.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 ₩13.4K

$33.49 A$47.94

-73.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,861

$1.19 A$1.70

5.04%

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

$27.9K ₩41.6M

$28.9K A$41.3K

-3.21%

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

$25.4K ₩37.7M

$22.3K A$32.0K

13.66%

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

$160 ₩238.4K

$220 A$315

-27.14%

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

$34.41 ₩51.2K

$31.92 A$45.70

7.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.05 ₩32.8K

$55.7 A$79.7

-60.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 ₩86.2K

$44.83 A$64.2

29.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.44 ₩34.9K

$11.11 A$15.91

110.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 ₩16.3K

$12.92 A$18.50

-15.40%

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

$417 ₩620.6K

$2,140 A$3,064

-80.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ₩35.1M

$7,226 A$10.3K

226.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ₩88.0K

$62.3 A$89.3

-5.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.41 ₩72.0K

$47.89 A$68.6

1.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 ₩118.8K

$89.9 A$129

-11.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩170.8K

$122 A$175

-5.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ₩1.4M

$1,807 A$2,587

-47.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₩874.3K

$1,317 A$1,886

-55.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,584 ₩3.8M

$2,595 A$3,715

-0.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₩2.0M

$2,028 A$2,903

-35.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.0K ₩38.7M

$9,247 A$13.2K

181.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K ₩15.9M

$6,366 A$9,114

68.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 ₩4.7M

$4,146 A$5,935

-24.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

6.54

-36.70%

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

Last update for Seoul: July 14, 2026

Last update for Gold Coast: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $944 in Seoul and $1,807 in Gold Coast. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gold Coast pays 32% 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 $97.0 in Gold Coast. Groceries flip the comparison at $491 vs $363, with Gold Coast 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 Gold Coast: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul and Gold Coast differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($1,765 vs $2,568 including rent). Seoul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Gold Coast. 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: $944 in Seoul versus $1,807 in Gold Coast. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Seoul runs roughly 11% less than in Gold Coast. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $417 in Seoul versus $2,140 in Gold Coast. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,765 in Seoul versus $2,568 in Gold Coast, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seoul but tight or insufficient in Gold Coast. 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 Gold Coast 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 46% less than in Gold Coast. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.