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 $1,752 per month in Seoul vs $976 in Hua Hin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,801 per month in Seoul vs $1,501 in Hua Hin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,850 per month in Seoul vs $2,027 in Hua Hin, rent included.

Seoul costs about 80% more than Hua Hin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seoul sits 28% above the global median, while Hua Hin is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 ₩13.3K

$3.12 ฿104

212.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 ₩89.2K

$22.05 ฿732

197.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 ₩9,710

$7.76 ฿257

-7.99%

Cappuccino

$4.02 ₩5,467

$2.09 ฿69.3

92.34%

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

$1.64 ₩2,224

$0.69 ฿22.81

137.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,122

$0.30 ฿9.87

176.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₩4,877

$2.08 ฿69.1

72.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 ₩7,792

$2.67 ฿88.7

114.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₩2,863

$1.45 ฿48.06

45.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 ₩4,228

$1.34 ฿44.61

132.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 ₩5,779

$1.25 ฿41.36

240.00%

Eggs

$3.38 ₩4,591

$1.98 ฿65.8

70.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.01 ₩23.1K

$12.37 ฿410

37.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.06 ₩13.7K

$2.45 ฿81.2

310.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.88 ₩33.8K

$10.33 ฿342

140.85%

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 ₩10.0K

$3.59 ฿119

105.01%

Banana (1kg)

$3.47 ₩4,718

$1.03 ฿34.08

236.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.55 ₩7,539

$1.92 ฿63.8

189.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 ₩8,503

$1.67 ฿55.5

274.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.65 ₩4,955

$1.25 ฿41.34

192.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 ₩3,307

$1.10 ฿36.50

120.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 ₩3,707

$0.83 ฿27.58

228.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₩1,468

$0.45 ฿14.91

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,397

$4.26 ฿141

-24.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.34 ₩24.9K

$14.18 ฿470

29.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,210

$1.65 ฿54.6

43.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ₩4,247

$2.58 ฿85.7

20.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 ₩1,581

$0.47 ฿15.49

146.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.79 ₩60.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩4,833

$1.34 ฿44.50

165.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩795

$1.10 ฿36.38

-47.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 ₩12.1K

$3.54 ฿117

150.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₩1,969

$1.45 ฿48.13

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

$29.1K ₩39.5M

$16.4K ฿544.4K

77.23%

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

$28.1K ₩38.2M

$27.2K ฿903.2K

3.12%

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

$196 ₩267.0K

$84.3 ฿2,796

133.00%

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

$34.49 ₩46.9K

$9.58 ฿318

260.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.80 ₩26.9K

$19.57 ฿649

1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩77.5K

$46.76 ฿1,551

21.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 ₩21.8K

$24.31 ฿806

-33.98%

Cinema Ticket

$11.04 ₩15.0K

$6.45 ฿214

71.16%

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

$1,891 ₩2.6M

$639 ฿21.2K

195.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩30.0M

$10.8K ฿358.3K

103.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 ₩76.6K

$6.05 ฿201

830.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.45 ₩44.1K

$29.81 ฿989

8.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 ₩92.8K

$71.1 ฿2,358

-4.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 ₩107.9K

$53.4 ฿1,772

48.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ₩1.2M

$581 ฿19.3K

48.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 ₩816.9K

$403 ฿13.4K

49.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ₩3.4M

$1,412 ฿46.8K

76.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 ₩1.7M

$807 ฿26.8K

51.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.2K ₩38.3M

$1,868 ฿62.0K

1408.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K ₩15.4M

$1,477 ฿49.0K

668.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,486 ₩4.7M

$462 ฿15.3K

654.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

5.96

-31.54%

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

Last update for Seoul: August 30, 2026

Last update for Hua Hin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $865 in Seoul versus $581 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 654% 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 $66.0 in Seoul versus $22.00 in Hua Hin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $464 vs $218 – 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 80% 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 $2,628 per month in Seoul and $1,464 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 $1,752 in Seoul and $976 in Hua Hin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,891 per month in Seoul and $639 in Hua Hin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hua Hin, where all-in costs run around $976, than in Seoul at $1,752. 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 $976 versus $1,752 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.