Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Legazpi

For one person, living is cheaper in Legazpi: $723 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 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
35

Cost of Living Index in Legazpi
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Legazpi Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Legazpi

🇵🇭 Philippines

$723

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Legazpi

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

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $723 in Legazpi, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Legazpi $723

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $1,106 in Legazpi, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Legazpi $1,106

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $1,490 in Legazpi, rent included.

Seoul $3,931
Legazpi $1,490

Seoul costs about 148% more than Legazpi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Legazpi is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$3.93 ₱247

123.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$16.45 ₱1,036

315.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$2.76 ₱174

173.19%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.28 ₱143

85.53%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.62 ₱39.20

162.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.31 ₱19.29

138.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$1.16 ₱73.0

213.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$1.99 ₱126

209.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.60 ₱101

25.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.16 ₱73.2

169.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$0.90 ₱56.9

380.00%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$2.75 ₱173

31.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$5.66 ₱356

215.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.10 ₱258

154.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$6.96 ₱438

270.69%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.44 ₱154

213.93%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.58 ₱99.7

113.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.36 ₱148

146.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.13 ₱71.4

467.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$2.01 ₱127

86.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$2.00 ₱126

27.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$0.97 ₱61.1

192.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.55 ₱34.66

101.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$2.95 ₱186

13.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$7.62 ₱480

142.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$1.01 ₱63.8

137.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$1.94 ₱122

73.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.22 ₱13.88

418.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$10.95 ₱690

321.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$0.74 ₱46.46

371.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.23 ₱14.44

173.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$1.93 ₱121

359.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$1.17 ₱73.9

29.06%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$20.1K ₱1.3M

45.57%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

33.77%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$122 ₱7,697

77.93%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$14.86 ₱935

136.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$30.81 ₱1,940

-30.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$31.98 ₱2,013

81.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$4.42 ₱279

264.25%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$5.12 ₱322

120.90%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$132 ₱8,292

1378.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$8,019 ₱504.9K

185.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$32.94 ₱2,074

73.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$19.55 ₱1,231

70.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$94.6 ₱5,954

-24.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$56.5 ₱3,555

46.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$195 ₱12.3K

361.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$145 ₱9,114

322.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$519 ₱32.7K

387.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$315 ₱19.9K

301.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,202 ₱138.6K

1236.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$913 ₱57.5K

1204.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$272 ₱17.1K

1242.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

10.12

-59.68%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Legazpi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Legazpi

$145 20% 76.3% $467

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Legazpi

$182 25.2% 61.8% $295

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Legazpi

$168 23.2% 38.7% $106

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Legazpi

$81 11.1% 56.2% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Legazpi

$92 12.7% 16.7% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Legazpi

$42 5.8% 47.7% $38

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Legazpi

$14 1.9% 76.1% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $195 in Legazpi. 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 1243% 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 $16.00 in Legazpi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $182 – making Legazpi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Legazpi

🕒 Local time

13:11 1:11 PM

12:11 12:11 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

209,533

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Seoul Legazpi 2,740 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Legazpi

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 Legazpi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,794 in Seoul, $723 in Legazpi – roughly 148% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,692 per month in Seoul and $1,084 in Legazpi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Legazpi, 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 $1,794 in Seoul and $723 in Legazpi. That's a gap of about 148%.

Public transport costs about 321% less in Legazpi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Legazpi, where all-in costs run around $723, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Legazpi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Legazpi – 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 Legazpi. 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.