Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Gyeonggi

For one person, living is cheaper in Gyeonggi: $1,084 a month against $1,848 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
Learn more

Seoul Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,848

/mo nomad

Gyeonggi

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,084

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Gyeonggi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,848 in Seoul versus $1,084 in Gyeonggi.

Seoul $1,848
Gyeonggi $1,084

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,986 in Seoul versus $2,107 in Gyeonggi.

Seoul $2,986
Gyeonggi $2,107

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,125 in Seoul versus $3,129 in Gyeonggi.

Seoul $4,125
Gyeonggi $3,129

Living in Seoul is roughly 70% more expensive than in Gyeonggi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 36% above, Gyeonggi is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 ₩12.0K

$7.51 ₩9,968

20.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 ₩90.7K

$60.3 ₩80.0K

13.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 ₩9,756

$6.12 ₩8,126

20.10%

Cappuccino

$4.12 ₩5,466

$3.94 ₩5,229

4.57%

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

$1.64 ₩2,182

$1.18 ₩1,562

38.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,071

$0.73 ₩964

10.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩4,923

$3.45 ₩4,580

7.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 ₩8,142

$3.08 ₩4,093

99.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ₩2,711

$1.86 ₩2,469

9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 ₩4,262

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 ₩5,824

Eggs

$3.59 ₩4,767

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.23 ₩24.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 ₩13.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.89 ₩35.7K

Apples (1kg)

$7.86 ₩10.4K

$11.11 ₩14.7K

-29.25%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,685

$3.82 ₩5,075

-7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.70 ₩7,572

$7.76 ₩10.3K

-26.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.18 ₩8,201

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 ₩4,995

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 ₩3,334

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 ₩3,737

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,473

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,381

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 ₩24.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,211

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ₩4,458

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₩1,582

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.13 ₩61.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ₩4,715

$3.24 ₩4,307

9.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩801

$0.62 ₩818

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 ₩12.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₩1,909

$1.41 ₩1,870

2.13%

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

$30.3K ₩40.2M

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

$28.9K ₩38.4M

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

$213 ₩282.1K

$195 ₩258.5K

9.14%

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

$35.83 ₩47.6K

$40.69 ₩54.0K

-11.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.39 ₩28.4K

$21.48 ₩28.5K

-0.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 ₩81.8K

$57.0 ₩75.7K

8.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.41 ₩21.8K

Cinema Ticket

$11.42 ₩15.2K

$10.24 ₩13.6K

11.52%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K ₩30.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₩79.4K

$60.5 ₩80.4K

-1.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.19 ₩45.4K

$42.02 ₩55.8K

-18.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 ₩87.6K

$85.4 ₩113.4K

-22.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 ₩108.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$924 ₩1.2M

$533 ₩708.1K

73.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ₩875.0K

$374 ₩495.9K

76.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,012 ₩4.0M

$2,164 ₩2.9M

39.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 ₩1.9M

$1,533 ₩2.0M

-6.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.2K ₩36.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K ₩15.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,570 ₩4.7M

$2,228 ₩3.0M

60.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.5

16.57%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 26, 2026

Last update for Gyeonggi: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$659 35.7%

Gyeonggi

–

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$483 26.2%

Gyeonggi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$270 14.6%

Gyeonggi

–

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10%

Gyeonggi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$109 5.9%

Gyeonggi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$84 4.6%

Gyeonggi

–

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Gyeonggi

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $924 in Seoul and $533 in Gyeonggi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 60% 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 in Seoul vs $60 in Gyeonggi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $483 vs $128 per month, with Gyeonggi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇰🇷 Gyeonggi

🕒 Local time

18:44 6:44 PM

Same time as Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

1,234,582

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.53 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.77 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.53 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seoul Gyeonggi 32 km

From you

Seoul
Gyeonggi

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 Gyeonggi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gyeonggi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and eating out. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 60% 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: $924 in Seoul versus $533 in Gyeonggi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 277% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gyeonggi – a meal for two runs $60 versus $68 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,084 in Gyeonggi versus $1,848 in Seoul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gyeonggi but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Gyeonggi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Safety-wise, Seoul and Gyeonggi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Gyeonggi wins on affordability, Seoul on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.