Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Kingston

For one person, living is cheaper in Seoul: $1,804 a month against $2,297 in Kingston, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Kingston outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Kingston
Learn more

Kingston Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,804

/mo nomad

Kingston

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,297

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Kingston

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

A single person spends $1,804 per month in Seoul vs $2,297 in Kingston, rent included.

Seoul $1,804
Kingston $2,297

A couple spends around $2,877 per month in Seoul vs $3,179 in Kingston, rent included.

Seoul $2,877
Kingston $3,179

A family of three spends $3,950 per month in Seoul vs $4,062 in Kingston, rent included.

Seoul $3,950
Kingston $4,062

Seoul is about 21% cheaper than Kingston, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seoul and Kingston sit above the global median – Seoul by 33%, Kingston by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.1K

$15.68 CA$22.16

-41.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 ₩88.6K

$63.5 CA$89.8

4.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 ₩9,959

$10.52 CA$14.87

-28.80%

Cappuccino

$4.19 ₩5,569

$3.51 CA$4.96

19.37%

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

$1.55 ₩2,067

$2.10 CA$2.96

-26.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,055

$1.31 CA$1.85

-39.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,846

$5.65 CA$7.98

-35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₩8,164

$6.19 CA$8.75

-0.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₩2,811

$2.25 CA$3.18

-6.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₩4,051

$2.62 CA$3.70

16.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,599

$3.00 CA$4.24

40.33%

Eggs

$3.54 ₩4,709

$2.93 CA$4.14

20.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.02 ₩24.0K

$10.43 CA$14.75

72.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 ₩13.8K

$11.77 CA$16.63

-12.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.47 ₩35.2K

$11.35 CA$16.04

133.22%

Apples (1kg)

$7.91 ₩10.5K

$2.98 CA$4.21

165.44%

Banana (1kg)

$3.44 ₩4,578

$1.16 CA$1.64

196.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 ₩7,493

$3.48 CA$4.92

62.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,517

$3.80 CA$5.37

68.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 ₩4,938

$2.98 CA$4.21

24.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 ₩3,345

$2.53 CA$3.57

-0.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 ₩3,816

$2.15 CA$3.03

33.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,536

$1.60 CA$2.27

-27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$14.24 CA$20.13

-76.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ₩24.9K

$12.74 CA$18.01

46.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,036

$2.24 CA$3.17

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₩4,397

$2.98 CA$4.21

11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,497

$2.44 CA$3.44

-53.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.73 ₩62.1K

$57.8 CA$81.7

-19.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ₩4,684

$3.35 CA$4.74

5.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₩849

$1.41 CA$1.99

-54.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 ₩11.7K

$32.42 CA$45.84

-72.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₩1,930

$1.13 CA$1.59

28.32%

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

$29.7K ₩39.4M

$27.9K CA$39.5K

6.29%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$20.8K CA$29.5K

35.33%

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

$211 ₩280.4K

$130 CA$184

61.96%

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

$35.36 ₩47.0K

$39.13 CA$55.3

-9.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.57 ₩27.4K

$61.6 CA$87.1

-66.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₩76.7K

$29.11 CA$41.16

98.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 ₩21.5K

$8.76 CA$12.38

84.93%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 ₩15.1K

$10.66 CA$15.07

6.66%

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

$1,967 ₩2.6M

$525 CA$742

274.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K ₩30.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ₩76.4K

$53.4 CA$75.5

7.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.08 ₩44.0K

$31.73 CA$44.86

4.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩93.2K

$78.4 CA$111

-10.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 ₩112.0K

$81.8 CA$116

3.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 ₩1.2M

$1,512 CA$2,137

-41.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩829.7K

$1,238 CA$1,751

-49.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,513 ₩3.3M

$2,329 CA$3,293

7.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 ₩1.7M

$1,684 CA$2,380

-23.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$30.4K ₩40.4M

$3,402 CA$4,810

792.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$2,433 CA$3,439

388.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,599 ₩4.8M

$3,099 CA$4,382

16.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.61

-11.50%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 18, 2026

Last update for Kingston: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.6%

Kingston

$1.2K 53.9% 98.4% $614

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$480 26.6%

Kingston

$336 14.6% 30% $144

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$267 14.8%

Kingston

$231 10.1% 13.4% $36

Eating Out

Seoul

$185 10.3%

Kingston

$253 11% 36.6% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Kingston

$110 4.8% 0.2% $0.2

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Kingston

$50 2.2% 37.3% $30

Getting Around

Seoul

$58 3.2%

Kingston

$78 3.4% 34.5% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $878 in Seoul versus $1,512 in Kingston. 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 16% higher in Seoul, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Seoul versus $64.0 in Kingston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $480 vs $336 – making Kingston the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇨🇦 Kingston

🕒 Local time

10:31 10:31 AM

21:31 9:31 PM

13 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

123,363

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

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Between locations

Seoul Kingston 10,620 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Kingston

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 Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,804 in Seoul, $2,297 in Kingston – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,707 per month in Seoul and $3,446 in Kingston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seoul, 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 $1,804 in Seoul and $2,297 in Kingston. That's a gap of about 27%.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Seoul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,804, than in Kingston at $2,297. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Seoul – 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 Seoul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kingston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.