Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Kortrijk Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Kortrijk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,752 per month in Seoul vs $1,926 in Kortrijk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,801 per month in Seoul vs $2,743 in Kortrijk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,850 per month in Seoul vs $3,560 in Kortrijk, rent included.

Seoul is about 9% cheaper than Kortrijk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Kortrijk sit above the global median – Seoul by 28%, Kortrijk by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 ₩13.1K

$22.47 €19.33

-56.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 ₩88.3K

$74.3 €63.9

-11.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 ₩9,614

$11.68 €10.05

-38.87%

Cappuccino

$4.02 ₩5,413

$3.12 €2.68

28.85%

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

$1.64 ₩2,202

$3.09 €2.66

-46.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,111

$2.79 €2.40

-70.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₩4,829

$4.67 €4.02

-23.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 ₩7,715

$3.39 €2.92

69.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₩2,835

$1.25 €1.08

68.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 ₩4,187

$1.82 €1.56

70.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 ₩5,722

$1.46 €1.26

191.10%

Eggs

$3.38 ₩4,546

$3.19 €2.75

5.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.01 ₩22.9K

$12.15 €10.46

40.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.06 ₩13.5K

$8.67 €7.46

16.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.88 ₩33.5K

$15.25 €13.12

63.15%

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 ₩9,902

$2.23 €1.92

230.04%

Banana (1kg)

$3.47 ₩4,672

$2.05 €1.76

69.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.55 ₩7,465

$2.14 €1.84

159.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 ₩8,420

$2.00 €1.72

213.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.65 ₩4,906

$1.98 €1.70

84.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 ₩3,274

$1.78 €1.53

36.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 ₩3,670

$1.58 €1.36

72.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₩1,454

$0.78 €0.67

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,354

$13.15 €11.32

-75.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.34 ₩24.7K

$7.38 €6.35

148.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,178

$2.15 €1.85

9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ₩4,205

$1.86 €1.60

67.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 ₩1,565

$2.99 €2.57

-61.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.79 ₩60.3K

$57.6 €49.55

-22.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩4,785

$2.25 €1.94

58.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩787

$2.37 €2.04

-75.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 ₩12.0K

$26.21 €22.55

-66.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₩1,950

$1.94 €1.67

-25.26%

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

$29.1K ₩39.1M

$36.5K €31.4K

-20.34%

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

$28.1K ₩37.8M

$35.1K €30.2K

-19.98%

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

$196 ₩264.4K

$209 €180

-6.22%

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

$34.49 ₩46.4K

$18.54 €15.95

86.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.80 ₩26.7K

$55.6 €47.80

-64.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩76.8K

$54.1 €46.57

5.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 ₩21.6K

$13.78 €11.86

16.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.04 ₩14.9K

$15.00 €12.91

-26.40%

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

$1,891 ₩2.5M

$430 €370

340.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.7M

$4,707 €4,050

368.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 ₩75.8K

$58.0 €49.87

-2.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.45 ₩43.7K

$27.40 €23.58

18.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 ₩91.9K

$90.4 €77.8

-24.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 ₩106.9K

$106 €91.3

-25.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ₩1.2M

$886 €763

-2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 ₩808.9K

$758 €652

-20.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ₩3.4M

$1,275 €1,098

95.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 ₩1.6M

$1,033 €889

18.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.2K ₩37.9M

$4,255 €3,662

562.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K ₩15.3M

$2,308 €1,986

391.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,486 ₩4.7M

$2,954 €2,542

18.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.9

4.62%

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

Last update for Seoul: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kortrijk: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $865 in Seoul versus $886 in Kortrijk. 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 18% 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 $66.0 in Seoul versus $74.0 in Kortrijk. Groceries tell a different story – $464 in Seoul vs $271 in Kortrijk – so Kortrijk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kortrijk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kortrijk costs about 10% more than Seoul, 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 $2,889 in Kortrijk. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 71% cheaper in Kortrijk – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Seoul and $74.0 in Kortrijk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,752, than in Kortrijk at $1,926. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kortrijk 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, Kortrijk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.