Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Koronadal City

For one person, living is cheaper in Koronadal City: $532 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Koronadal City
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Koronadal City Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Koronadal City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$532

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Koronadal City

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $532 in Koronadal City.

Seoul $1,794
Koronadal City $532

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $806 in Koronadal City.

Seoul $2,863
Koronadal City $806

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $1,079 in Koronadal City.

Seoul $3,931
Koronadal City $1,079

Living in Seoul is roughly 237% more expensive than in Koronadal City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, Koronadal City is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$4.41 ₱278

99.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩91.2K

$16.63 ₱1,048

311.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.1K

$3.39 ₱213

122.42%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,644

$2.19 ₱138

93.15%

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

$1.63 ₩2,175

$0.39 ₱24.26

317.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩988

$0.31 ₱19.43

138.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,860

$1.17 ₱73.7

211.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,203

$1.99 ₱125

209.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,688

$1.58 ₱99.8

27.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,178

$0.65 ₱40.76

381.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,764

$0.92 ₱58.0

369.57%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,810

$1.32 ₱83.1

173.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.8K

$6.43 ₱405

177.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$2.91 ₱184

259.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.4K

$4.88 ₱307

428.69%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.42 ₱153

216.53%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,514

$0.86 ₱54.2

293.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,750

$1.41 ₱88.7

312.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,549

$1.08 ₱67.8

493.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,000

$1.93 ₱122

94.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,387

$2.67 ₱168

-4.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,796

$1.25 ₱78.7

127.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,477

$0.66 ₱41.30

68.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,470

$2.45 ₱155

36.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.7K

$7.36 ₱464

151.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,196

$0.93 ₱58.3

158.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,495

$1.63 ₱103

106.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,526

$0.24 ₱15.09

375.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.5K

$10.97 ₱691

320.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,660

$0.71 ₱44.47

391.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩843

$0.25 ₱15.75

152.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$1.93 ₱122

359.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,012

$1.03 ₱65.1

46.60%

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

$29.3K ₩39.1M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

36.99%

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

$28.2K ₩37.6M

$14.1K ₱890.2K

99.62%

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

$218 ₩290.2K

$108 ₱6,777

102.17%

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

$35.15 ₩46.9K

$19.26 ₱1,213

82.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.4K

$30.78 ₱1,939

-30.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.5K

$22.00 ₱1,386

163.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.5K

$4.60 ₱290

250.00%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.1K

$2.84 ₱179

298.24%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$106 ₱6,660

1742.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.5M

$7,522 ₱473.8K

203.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩76.1K

$12.11 ₱763

371.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.5K

$8.70 ₱548

283.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.4K

$47.06 ₱2,964

51.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩110.1K

$39.79 ₱2,507

107.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$70.8 ₱4,456

1172.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩816.3K

$45.83 ₱2,887

1234.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$141 ₱8,899

1688.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$95.5 ₱6,017

1225.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.3M

$2,391 ₱150.6K

1130.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.9M

$1,125 ₱70.8K

958.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$126 ₱7,912

2805.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

6.5

-37.23%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Koronadal City: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Koronadal City

$46 8.6% 92.5% $566

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Koronadal City

$155 29.1% 67.6% $322

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Koronadal City

$158 29.6% 42.5% $116

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Koronadal City

$84 15.8% 54.1% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Koronadal City

$48 9.1% 56% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Koronadal City

$28 5.2% 65.7% $53

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Koronadal City

$14 2.6% 75.8% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Seoul and $70.8 in Koronadal City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 2806% 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: $68.0 in Seoul vs $17.00 in Koronadal City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $477 vs $155 per month, with Koronadal City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Koronadal City

🕒 Local time

05:32 5:32 AM

04:32 4:32 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

174,942

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,500 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Seoul Koronadal City 3,460 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Koronadal City

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 Koronadal City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koronadal City wins on cost – living expenses run 237% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Koronadal City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 2806% 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: $901 in Seoul versus $70.8 in Koronadal City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Koronadal City – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $68.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,794 per month in Seoul versus $532 in Koronadal City – a 237% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $532 in Koronadal City versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Koronadal City but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Koronadal City 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 Koronadal City 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 Koronadal City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 237% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.