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 $1,765 per month in Seoul vs $893 in Hua Hin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,881 per month in Seoul vs $1,431 in Hua Hin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,997 per month in Seoul vs $1,968 in Hua Hin, rent included.

Seoul costs about 98% more than Hua Hin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seoul sits 32% above the global median, while Hua Hin is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 ₩13.0K

$3.11 ฿105

180.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩80.8K

$19.87 ฿669

173.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 ₩9,627

$8.51 ฿287

-23.97%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,766

$1.99 ฿67.1

94.97%

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

$1.65 ₩2,455

$0.68 ฿22.96

142.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,274

$0.51 ฿17.01

68.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ₩5,610

$2.03 ฿68.3

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 ₩8,517

$3.67 ฿124

55.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,369

$1.49 ฿50.1

51.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 ₩5,095

$1.97 ฿66.3

73.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,604

$1.11 ฿37.41

178.38%

Eggs

$3.06 ₩4,548

$1.84 ฿62.0

66.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.51 ₩21.6K

$13.12 ฿441

10.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 ₩16.0K

$2.72 ฿91.5

295.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.54 ₩51.4K

$14.29 ฿481

141.71%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 ₩11.4K

$2.57 ฿86.5

197.67%

Banana (1kg)

$3.54 ₩5,272

$0.73 ฿24.73

384.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 ₩8,063

$1.83 ฿61.6

196.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 ₩9,657

$1.50 ฿50.4

332.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 ₩5,754

$1.69 ฿57.0

128.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 ₩4,273

$1.22 ฿41.13

135.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 ₩3,890

$0.80 ฿27.03

226.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,960

$0.42 ฿14.11

214.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₩4,947

$4.63 ฿156

-28.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.50 ₩24.5K

$14.14 ฿476

16.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,547

$1.65 ฿55.5

44.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩5,015

$3.64 ฿122

-7.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,601

$0.44 ฿14.97

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.87 ₩69.7K

$12.45 ฿419

276.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ₩5,152

$1.07 ฿35.87

223.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩847

$0.75 ฿25.35

-24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 ₩13.4K

$5.47 ฿184

64.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,861

$1.30 ฿43.77

-3.85%

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

$27.9K ₩41.6M

$19.7K ฿663.3K

41.71%

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

$25.4K ₩37.7M

$21.3K ฿717.9K

18.89%

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

$160 ₩238.5K

$73.8 ฿2,483

117.17%

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

$34.41 ₩51.2K

$12.86 ฿433

167.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.05 ₩32.8K

$22.45 ฿755

-1.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 ₩86.2K

$47.27 ฿1,591

22.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.44 ₩34.9K

$5.50 ฿185

326.18%

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 ₩16.3K

$7.64 ฿257

43.06%

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

$417 ₩620.8K

$138 ฿4,637

202.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ₩35.1M

$19.8K ฿666.7K

19.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ₩88.0K

$19.70 ฿663

200.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.41 ₩72.0K

$24.28 ฿817

99.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 ₩118.8K

$62.8 ฿2,114

27.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩170.9K

$58.0 ฿1,951

98.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ₩1.4M

$410 ฿13.8K

130.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₩874.6K

$292 ฿9,810

101.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,584 ₩3.8M

$1,009 ฿34.0K

155.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₩2.0M

$656 ฿22.1K

100.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.0K ₩38.7M

$1,793 ฿60.3K

1350.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K ₩15.9M

$1,420 ฿47.8K

653.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 ₩4.7M

$473 ฿15.9K

565.30%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Hua Hin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $944 in Seoul versus $410 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 565% 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: $491 vs $234 – 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 98% 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 $2,647 per month in Seoul and $1,340 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 $1,765 in Seoul and $893 in Hua Hin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 276% 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 $893, than in Seoul at $1,765. 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 $893 versus $1,765 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.