Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Herat

For one person, living is cheaper in Herat: $390 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Herat

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$390

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Herat

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

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $390 in Herat, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Herat $390

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $467 in Herat, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Herat $467

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $544 in Herat, rent included.

Seoul $3,931
Herat $544

Seoul costs about 360% more than Herat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Herat is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$9.11 ؋591

650.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$3.81 ؋247

97.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 ؋101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 ؋485

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$0.80 ؋51.9

428.75%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.47 ؋30.48

246.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$0.59 ؋38.29

240.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.80 ؋117

100.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$5.97 ؋387

332.16%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$0.60 ؋39.20

1176.67%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$0.75 ؋48.69

350.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$0.64 ؋41.37

901.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$0.30 ؋19.23

1150.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$0.30 ؋19.17

746.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.30 ؋19.25

270.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ؋28.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$3.13 ؋203

7.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$305 ؋19.8K

-28.68%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$15.17 ؋983

282.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

-79.60%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Herat: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Herat

–

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Herat

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Herat

–

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Herat

–

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Herat

–

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Herat

–

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Herat

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Seoul versus $9.00 in Herat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $47.00 – making Herat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇦🇫 Herat

🕒 Local time

00:55 12:55 AM

20:25 8:25 PM

4 h 30 min behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

349,000

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 64.83 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.88 AFN (100 AFN = 1.37 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

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Seoul Herat 5,720 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Seoul vs Herat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 360%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,692 per month in Seoul and $585 in Herat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 919% more in Seoul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Seoul and $9.00 in Herat. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Herat, where all-in costs run around $390, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Herat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Herat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Herat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seoul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.