Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Hua Hin Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Hua Hin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,742 per month in Seoul vs $873 in Hua Hin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Seoul vs $1,418 in Hua Hin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,043 per month in Seoul vs $1,962 in Hua Hin, rent included.

Seoul costs about 99% more than Hua Hin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seoul sits 30% above the global median, while Hua Hin is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.0K

$3.04 ฿99.4

182.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩82.2K

$20.10 ฿657

170.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,550

$8.74 ฿286

-27.92%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,886

$2.08 ฿67.9

86.54%

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

$1.72 ₩2,613

$0.65 ฿21.23

164.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,296

$0.50 ฿16.47

72.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,448

$1.97 ฿64.4

82.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩8,998

$3.71 ฿121

60.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,371

$1.48 ฿48.46

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,228

$1.92 ฿62.7

79.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,749

$1.12 ฿36.68

179.46%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,830

$1.91 ฿62.5

67.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.5K

$13.46 ฿440

5.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.6K

$2.80 ฿91.5

292.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩52.6K

$14.51 ฿474

139.42%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.1K

$2.62 ฿85.6

204.20%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,247

$0.79 ฿25.86

337.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,229

$1.87 ฿61.0

190.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.1K

$1.56 ฿51.1

328.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,763

$1.67 ฿54.5

127.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,465

$1.25 ฿40.98

136.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩3,978

$0.76 ฿24.78

246.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,924

$0.45 ฿14.79

182.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,893

$4.71 ฿154

-31.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.5K

$14.74 ฿481

32.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,668

$1.65 ฿54.0

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,921

$3.51 ฿115

-7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,691

$0.47 ฿15.45

138.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩72.6K

$12.35 ฿403

287.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,396

$1.06 ฿34.48

235.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩818

$0.75 ฿24.63

-28.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.2K

$5.25 ฿172

66.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,889

$1.29 ฿42.29

-3.10%

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

$28.3K ₩42.8M

$20.3K ฿662.3K

39.35%

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

$25.3K ₩38.4M

$21.2K ฿692.1K

19.55%

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

$161 ₩243.4K

$72.2 ฿2,356

122.59%

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

$34.38 ₩52.1K

$12.99 ฿424

164.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.0K

$22.69 ฿741

-1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩86.4K

$46.95 ฿1,534

21.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.2K

$5.38 ฿176

331.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.0K

$7.58 ฿248

47.63%

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

$412 ₩624.5K

$140 ฿4,581

193.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩35.8M

$19.8K ฿645.1K

19.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩88.9K

$19.33 ฿631

203.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩70.9K

$24.16 ฿789

93.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩118.6K

$62.7 ฿2,047

24.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩173.0K

$57.9 ฿1,891

97.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.4M

$401 ฿13.1K

138.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩914.5K

$293 ฿9,566

106.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩3.9M

$1,017 ฿33.2K

153.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$666 ฿21.7K

96.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.5M

$1,897 ฿62.0K

857.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.0M

$1,470 ฿48.0K

527.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$478 ฿15.6K

546.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

6.17

-32.90%

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

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Hua Hin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Seoul versus $401 in Hua Hin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 547% higher in Seoul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Seoul versus $20.00 in Hua Hin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $500 vs $238 – making Hua Hin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Hua Hin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 99% more than Hua Hin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,613 per month in Seoul and $1,310 in Hua Hin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hua Hin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,742 in Seoul and $873 in Hua Hin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 288% less in Hua Hin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hua Hin, where all-in costs run around $873, than in Seoul at $1,742. In Hua Hin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hua Hin costs $873 versus $1,742 in Seoul. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Hua Hin. 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.