Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Icheon Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Icheon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,765 per month in Seoul vs $1,436 in Icheon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,881 per month in Seoul vs $2,262 in Icheon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,997 per month in Seoul vs $3,088 in Icheon, rent included.

Seoul costs about 23% more than Icheon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Seoul and Icheon sit above the global median – Seoul by 32%, Icheon by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 ₩13.0K

$6.30 ₩9,370

38.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩80.8K

$36.80 ₩54.8K

47.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 ₩9,627

$6.22 ₩9,256

4.02%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,766

$4.19 ₩6,233

-7.40%

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

$1.65 ₩2,455

$1.27 ₩1,891

29.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,274

$1.15 ₩1,716

-25.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ₩5,610

$3.58 ₩5,326

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 ₩8,517

$5.75 ₩8,550

-0.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,369

$2.26 ₩3,357

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 ₩5,095

$3.62 ₩5,394

-5.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,604

$3.07 ₩4,562

0.65%

Eggs

$3.06 ₩4,548

$2.91 ₩4,332

5.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.51 ₩21.6K

$10.55 ₩15.7K

37.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 ₩16.0K

$8.39 ₩12.5K

28.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.54 ₩51.4K

$27.86 ₩41.5K

23.98%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 ₩11.4K

$8.26 ₩12.3K

-7.38%

Banana (1kg)

$3.54 ₩5,272

$3.27 ₩4,859

8.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 ₩8,063

$7.56 ₩11.3K

-28.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 ₩9,657

$5.24 ₩7,800

23.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 ₩5,754

$5.23 ₩7,787

-26.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 ₩4,273

$2.92 ₩4,349

-1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 ₩3,890

$2.01 ₩2,995

29.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,960

$1.15 ₩1,707

14.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₩4,947

$3.21 ₩4,779

3.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.50 ₩24.5K

$16.54 ₩24.6K

-0.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,547

$1.75 ₩2,604

36.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩5,015

$3.30 ₩4,913

2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,601

$1.09 ₩1,622

-0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.87 ₩69.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ₩5,152

$3.47 ₩5,163

-0.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩847

$0.86 ₩1,278

-33.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 ₩13.4K

$16.36 ₩24.3K

-44.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,861

$1.21 ₩1,803

3.31%

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

$27.9K ₩41.6M

$27.6K ₩41.1M

1.07%

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

$25.4K ₩37.7M

$24.9K ₩37.0M

2.06%

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

$160 ₩238.5K

$190 ₩282.2K

-15.51%

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

$34.41 ₩51.2K

$51.2 ₩76.1K

-32.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.05 ₩32.8K

$27.38 ₩40.7K

-19.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 ₩86.2K

$22.40 ₩33.3K

158.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.44 ₩34.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 ₩16.3K

$11.22 ₩16.7K

-2.58%

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

$417 ₩620.8K

$490 ₩729.3K

-14.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ₩35.1M

$14.0K ₩20.8M

68.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ₩88.0K

$104 ₩155.4K

-43.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.41 ₩72.0K

$47.18 ₩70.2K

2.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 ₩118.8K

$88.7 ₩132.0K

-9.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩170.9K

$119 ₩176.8K

-3.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ₩1.4M

$732 ₩1.1M

29.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₩874.6K

$370 ₩550.7K

58.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,584 ₩3.8M

$1,050 ₩1.6M

146.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₩2.0M

$776 ₩1.2M

69.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.0K ₩38.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K ₩15.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 ₩4.7M

$2,035 ₩3.0M

54.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.9

6.15%

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

Last update for Seoul: July 14, 2026

Last update for Icheon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $944 in Seoul versus $732 in Icheon. 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 55% 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 $37.00 in Icheon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $491 vs $449 – making Icheon 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 Icheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,647 per month in Seoul and $2,154 in Icheon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Seoul and $37.00 in Icheon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Icheon, where all-in costs run around $1,436, than in Seoul at $1,765. In Icheon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Icheon – 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 Icheon. 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.