Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Irkutsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Irkutsk: $1,013 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Irkutsk
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Irkutsk Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,822

/mo nomad

Irkutsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,013

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Irkutsk

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,822 in Seoul versus $1,013 in Irkutsk.

Seoul $1,822
Irkutsk $1,013

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,847 in Seoul versus $1,501 in Irkutsk.

Seoul $2,847
Irkutsk $1,501

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,872 in Seoul versus $1,988 in Irkutsk.

Seoul $3,872
Irkutsk $1,988

Living in Seoul is roughly 80% more expensive than in Irkutsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 36% above, Irkutsk is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.2K

$7.18 ₽611

26.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 ₩89.8K

$32.58 ₽2,772

105.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₩9,941

$5.81 ₽494

27.71%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩5,470

$3.03 ₽258

34.65%

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

$1.60 ₩2,141

$1.60 ₽136

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,078

$0.65 ₽55.1

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩4,886

$2.69 ₽229

35.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩7,956

$4.04 ₽344

47.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₩2,742

$1.20 ₽102

70.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₩4,130

$0.64 ₽54.5

381.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,646

$2.22 ₽189

89.64%

Eggs

$3.57 ₩4,784

$1.59 ₽135

124.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.95 ₩24.1K

$11.69 ₽995

53.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 ₩14.3K

$6.04 ₽514

76.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.44 ₩35.4K

$11.24 ₽956

135.23%

Apples (1kg)

$7.42 ₩9,946

$1.89 ₽161

292.59%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,732

$1.99 ₽169

77.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 ₩7,866

$1.75 ₽149

235.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 ₩8,534

$3.47 ₽295

83.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,028

$0.72 ₽61.4

420.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ₩3,337

$0.69 ₽58.6

260.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 ₩3,911

$1.79 ₽152

63.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,542

$0.65 ₽55.6

76.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,408

$2.70 ₽230

21.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.8K

$7.17 ₽610

157.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,057

$1.02 ₽86.7

123.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₩4,398

$1.90 ₽162

72.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,526

$0.57 ₽48.62

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.47 ₩60.9K

$15.79 ₽1,344

187.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩4,663

$1.19 ₽102

192.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩803

$0.18 ₽14.94

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.70 ₩11.7K

$8.91 ₽758

-2.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,004

$0.79 ₽66.8

89.87%

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

$29.1K ₩39.0M

$29.0K ₽2.5M

0.39%

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

$28.2K ₩37.8M

$36.8K ₽3.1M

-23.40%

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

$209 ₩279.9K

$118 ₽10.0K

77.60%

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

$35.13 ₩47.1K

$5.84 ₽497

501.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.18 ₩28.4K

$11.41 ₽971

85.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₩76.8K

$34.35 ₽2,923

66.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 ₩21.3K

$21.13 ₽1,798

-24.80%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 ₩15.2K

$6.64 ₽565

70.63%

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

$1,902 ₩2.5M

$294 ₽25.0K

547.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K ₩30.2M

$3,121 ₽265.6K

621.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₩78.9K

$58.7 ₽4,992

0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.12 ₩43.0K

$23.42 ₽1,993

37.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩94.0K

$100 ₽8,516

-29.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩110.5K

$113 ₽9,642

-27.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ₩1.2M

$438 ₽37.2K

102.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩835.5K

$309 ₽26.3K

101.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 ₩3.3M

$750 ₽63.8K

232.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ₩1.7M

$432 ₽36.8K

194.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.8K ₩40.0M

$2,712 ₽230.8K

1000.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.8K ₩15.9M

$1,807 ₽153.7K

555.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,649 ₩4.9M

$752 ₽64.0K

385.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

24.57

-83.39%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Last update for Irkutsk: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.7%

Irkutsk

$309 30.7% 50.4% $314

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$479 26.7%

Irkutsk

$220 21.9% 54% $259

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$265 14.8%

Irkutsk

$135 13.4% 49.1% $130

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Irkutsk

$142 14.1% 22.8% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Irkutsk

$133 13.2% 21.3% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Irkutsk

$48 4.7% 40.4% $32

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Irkutsk

$20 2% 64.3% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $885 in Seoul and $438 in Irkutsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 385% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $67.0 in Seoul vs $33.00 in Irkutsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $479 vs $220 per month, with Irkutsk cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇷🇺 Irkutsk

🕒 Local time

15:34 3:34 PM

14:34 2:34 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

617,515

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR

100 RUB = 1.18 USD

100 RUB = 1.05 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,503 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 85.09 RUB (100 RUB = 1.18 USD). 1 EUR = 95.44 RUB (100 RUB = 1.05 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Seoul Irkutsk 2,400 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Irkutsk

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Irkutsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Irkutsk wins on cost – living expenses run 80% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Irkutsk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 385% higher in Seoul, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $885 in Seoul versus $438 in Irkutsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,902 in Seoul versus $294 in Irkutsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 118% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,013 in Irkutsk versus $1,822 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Irkutsk but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Irkutsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Seoul and Irkutsk are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Irkutsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.