Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Kuantan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuantan: $839 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 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
41

Cost of Living Index in Kuantan
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Kuantan Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Kuantan

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Kuantan

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

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $839 in Kuantan, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Kuantan $839

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $1,219 in Kuantan, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Kuantan $1,219

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $1,599 in Kuantan, rent included.

Seoul $3,931
Kuantan $1,599

Seoul costs about 114% more than Kuantan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Kuantan is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$2.49 MYR 10.18

253.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$12.00 MYR 48.96

469.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$3.63 MYR 14.83

107.71%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.88 MYR 11.73

46.88%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.71 MYR 2.89

129.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.45 MYR 1.82

64.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$2.80 MYR 11.43

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$5.73 MYR 23.37

7.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.60 MYR 6.52

25.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$0.82 MYR 3.35

281.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$1.47 MYR 5.98

193.88%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.31 MYR 5.34

175.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$9.51 MYR 38.79

87.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$3.28 MYR 13.36

218.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$4.42 MYR 18.04

483.71%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$3.03 MYR 12.35

152.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.93 MYR 7.87

75.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.73 MYR 11.12

112.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.75 MYR 7.14

266.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.72 MYR 7.03

118.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$1.94 MYR 7.93

30.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$0.76 MYR 3.12

273.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.56 MYR 2.28

98.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$4.38 MYR 17.85

-23.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$19.95 MYR 81.4

-7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$1.99 MYR 8.13

20.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$1.92 MYR 7.81

75.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.51 MYR 2.07

123.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$12.15 MYR 49.55

279.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$1.13 MYR 4.61

208.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.35 MYR 1.45

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$9.05 MYR 36.92

-2.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$0.52 MYR 2.13

190.38%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

-14.17%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$33.1K MYR 134.9K

-14.72%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$49.82 MYR 203

336.61%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$8.06 MYR 32.86

336.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$24.16 MYR 98.6

-11.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$39.79 MYR 162

45.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$6.83 MYR 27.87

135.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$4.65 MYR 18.98

143.23%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$280 MYR 1,142

595.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$10.2K MYR 41.8K

123.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$52.4 MYR 214

8.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$30.29 MYR 124

10.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$49.62 MYR 202

44.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$48.89 MYR 199

68.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$411 MYR 1,675

119.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$302 MYR 1,232

102.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$692 MYR 2,822

265.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$476 MYR 1,943

165.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,015 MYR 8,220

1360.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$1,090 MYR 4,448

991.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$975 MYR 3,976

274.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.15

-1.69%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kuantan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Kuantan

$302 36% 50.7% $310

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Kuantan

$212 25.3% 55.5% $264

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Kuantan

$82 9.8% 70.1% $192

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Kuantan

$95 11.4% 48.1% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Kuantan

$82 9.7% 25.9% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Kuantan

$49 5.9% 39.1% $32

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Kuantan

$17 2% 70.2% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $411 in Kuantan. 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 274% 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 $68.0 in Seoul versus $12.00 in Kuantan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $212 – making Kuantan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇲🇾 Kuantan

🕒 Local time

09:08 9:08 AM

08:08 8:08 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

548,014

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seoul Kuantan 4,460 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Kuantan

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 Kuantan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 114%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,692 per month in Seoul and $1,259 in Kuantan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,948 per month in Seoul and $280 in Kuantan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 125% 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 Kuantan, where all-in costs run around $839, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Kuantan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuantan – 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 Kuantan. 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.