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: $1,742 in Seoul versus $2,525 in Gold Coast.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,892 in Seoul versus $3,668 in Gold Coast.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,043 in Seoul versus $4,811 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 30% above, Gold Coast 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.0K

$16.32 A$22.74

-47.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩82.2K

$95.6 A$133

-43.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,550

$9.49 A$13.23

-33.61%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,886

$3.39 A$4.72

14.45%

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

$1.72 ₩2,613

$2.64 A$3.68

-34.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,296

$2.30 A$3.20

-62.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,448

$6.53 A$9.09

-44.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩8,998

$7.70 A$10.74

-22.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,371

$1.49 A$2.07

48.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,228

$2.59 A$3.62

33.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,749

$2.28 A$3.18

37.28%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,830

$4.64 A$6.47

-31.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.5K

$7.20 A$10.04

97.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.6K

$8.72 A$12.16

26.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩52.6K

$12.15 A$16.94

185.93%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.1K

$3.65 A$5.09

118.36%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,247

$2.70 A$3.76

28.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,229

$3.77 A$5.25

44.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.1K

$3.86 A$5.37

73.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,763

$2.32 A$3.23

63.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,465

$2.39 A$3.33

23.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩3,978

$1.98 A$2.76

32.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,924

$2.39 A$3.32

-46.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,893

$31.91 A$44.47

-89.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.5K

$14.88 A$20.73

30.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,668

$6.36 A$8.86

-61.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,921

$6.54 A$9.12

-50.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,691

$2.53 A$3.52

-55.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩72.6K

$52.0 A$72.5

-7.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,396

$2.03 A$2.83

75.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩818

$1.46 A$2.04

-63.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.2K

$33.94 A$47.29

-74.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,889

$1.15 A$1.60

8.70%

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

$28.3K ₩42.8M

$28.8K A$40.2K

-2.02%

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

$25.3K ₩38.4M

$22.3K A$31.0K

13.72%

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

$161 ₩243.4K

$217 A$303

-26.11%

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

$34.38 ₩52.1K

$31.82 A$44.34

8.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.0K

$55.0 A$76.6

-59.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩86.4K

$45.67 A$63.7

24.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.2K

$11.30 A$15.75

105.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.0K

$13.09 A$18.24

-14.51%

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

$412 ₩624.5K

$2,121 A$2,956

-80.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩35.8M

$7,115 A$9,914

232.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩88.9K

$61.1 A$85.1

-3.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩70.9K

$48.61 A$67.7

-3.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩118.6K

$89.6 A$125

-12.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩173.0K

$121 A$169

-5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.4M

$1,780 A$2,481

-46.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩914.5K

$1,312 A$1,828

-53.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩3.9M

$2,586 A$3,604

-0.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$2,029 A$2,827

-35.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.5M

$6,622 A$9,228

174.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.0M

$4,425 A$6,167

108.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$4,388 A$6,115

-29.48%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Gold Coast: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Seoul and $1,780 in Gold Coast. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gold Coast pays 42% 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 $96.0 in Gold Coast. Groceries flip the comparison at $500 vs $362, 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 45% in total monthly costs ($1,742 vs $2,525 including rent). Seoul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Gold Coast earns 42% 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 $1,780 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 9% less than in Gold Coast. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $412 in Seoul versus $2,121 in Gold Coast. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,742 in Seoul versus $2,525 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 45% less than in Gold Coast. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.