Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Ligao City

For one person, living is cheaper in Ligao City: $733 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 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
36

Cost of Living Index in Ligao City
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Ligao City Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Ligao City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$733

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Ligao 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 Ligao City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $733 in Ligao City, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Ligao City $733

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $1,111 in Ligao City, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Ligao City $1,111

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

Seoul $3,931
Ligao City $1,490

Seoul costs about 145% more than Ligao City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$4.44 ₱280

98.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$16.71 ₱1,052

309.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$2.73 ₱172

176.19%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.27 ₱143

86.34%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.65 ₱41.00

150.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.31 ₱19.54

138.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$1.17 ₱73.7

211.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$1.98 ₱124

210.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.62 ₱102

24.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.15 ₱72.7

172.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$0.91 ₱57.5

374.73%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.92 ₱121

88.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$5.55 ₱349

221.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.14 ₱261

152.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$7.29 ₱459

253.91%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.34 ₱148

227.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.54 ₱96.9

119.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.34 ₱147

148.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.12 ₱70.6

472.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.91 ₱120

96.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$1.94 ₱122

30.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$0.95 ₱59.7

198.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.55 ₱34.75

101.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$2.91 ₱183

15.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$7.72 ₱486

139.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$0.98 ₱61.9

144.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$1.86 ₱117

81.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.25 ₱15.56

356.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$9.63 ₱606

378.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$0.75 ₱47.10

365.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.20 ₱12.81

215.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$1.98 ₱125

347.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$1.20 ₱75.5

25.83%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$24.1K ₱1.5M

21.68%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

36.72%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$122 ₱7,655

78.91%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$15.53 ₱978

126.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$24.01 ₱1,512

-11.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$32.44 ₱2,042

78.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$5.29 ₱333

204.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$5.12 ₱322

120.90%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$134 ₱8,460

1349.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$7,903 ₱497.6K

189.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$33.37 ₱2,101

70.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$19.88 ₱1,252

67.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$70.7 ₱4,452

1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$54.8 ₱3,449

50.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$266 ₱16.7K

238.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$173 ₱10.9K

253.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$516 ₱32.5K

389.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$347 ₱21.9K

264.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,399 ₱151.1K

1126.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$986 ₱62.1K

1107.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$272 ₱17.1K

1240.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

6.79

-39.91%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ligao City: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Ligao City

$173 23.6% 71.7% $439

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Ligao City

$178 24.3% 62.6% $299

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Ligao City

$161 22% 41.2% $113

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Ligao City

$85 11.6% 53.9% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Ligao City

$80 11% 26.9% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Ligao City

$43 5.8% 47.1% $38

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Ligao City

$12 1.7% 78.4% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $266 in Ligao City. 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 1240% 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 $17.00 in Ligao City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $178 – making Ligao City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Ligao City

🕒 Local time

12:01 12:01 PM

11:01 11:01 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

3,955

💱 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 Ligao City 2,730 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Ligao 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 Ligao City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 145%, 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 $1,099 in Ligao City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 167% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Seoul and $17.00 in Ligao City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ligao City, where all-in costs run around $733, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Ligao City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ligao City – 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 Ligao City. 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.