Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Lumut, Perak

For one person, living is cheaper in Lumut, Perak: $987 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Lumut, Perak
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Lumut, Perak Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Lumut, Perak

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$987

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Lumut, Perak

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $987 in Lumut, Perak.

Seoul $1,794
Lumut, Perak $987

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $1,449 in Lumut, Perak.

Seoul $2,863
Lumut, Perak $1,449

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $1,910 in Lumut, Perak.

Seoul $3,931
Lumut, Perak $1,910

Living in Seoul is roughly 82% more expensive than in Lumut, Perak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, Lumut, Perak is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$3.56 MYR 14.52

147.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$12.21 MYR 49.79

459.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$4.92 MYR 20.06

53.25%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.97 MYR 12.14

42.42%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.83 MYR 3.39

96.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.38 MYR 1.56

94.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$3.84 MYR 15.65

-5.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$5.97 MYR 24.34

3.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$2.14 MYR 8.73

-6.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.07 MYR 4.38

192.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$2.02 MYR 8.25

113.86%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$2.46 MYR 10.05

46.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$13.82 MYR 56.4

29.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.38 MYR 17.88

138.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$9.89 MYR 40.36

160.87%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$3.35 MYR 13.68

128.66%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.83 MYR 7.45

84.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.25 MYR 9.18

158.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.60 MYR 6.53

300.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.28 MYR 5.24

192.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$1.35 MYR 5.52

88.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$1.18 MYR 4.82

140.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.66 MYR 2.68

68.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$4.39 MYR 17.90

-23.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$19.67 MYR 80.2

-6.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$3.51 MYR 14.31

-31.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$5.03 MYR 20.51

-33.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.64 MYR 2.62

78.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$11.47 MYR 46.78

302.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$1.23 MYR 5.03

183.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$1.21 MYR 4.92

-47.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$4.92 MYR 20.06

80.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$0.88 MYR 3.57

71.59%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$42.2K MYR 172.2K

-30.66%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$34.0K MYR 138.7K

-17.03%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$61.4 MYR 251

254.09%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$8.79 MYR 35.87

299.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$26.41 MYR 108

-19.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$37.77 MYR 154

53.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$6.93 MYR 28.29

132.32%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$5.12 MYR 20.89

120.90%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$303 MYR 1,236

542.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$12.9K MYR 52.6K

77.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$70.9 MYR 289

-19.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$41.12 MYR 168

-18.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$87.5 MYR 357

-18.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$95.2 MYR 388

-13.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$406 MYR 1,657

121.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$299 MYR 1,222

104.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$686 MYR 2,798

268.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$475 MYR 1,940

166.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,306 MYR 9,407

1175.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$1,183 MYR 4,824

906.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$381 MYR 1,555

857.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.18

-2.39%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Lumut, Perak

$299 30.4% 51.1% $312

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Lumut, Perak

$274 27.8% 42.5% $203

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Lumut, Perak

$97 9.8% 64.7% $177

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Lumut, Perak

$115 11.6% 37.5% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Lumut, Perak

$133 13.4% 20.5% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Lumut, Perak

$48 4.9% 40.5% $33

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Lumut, Perak

$21 2.2% 62.9% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Seoul and $406 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 858% 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 $12.00 in Lumut, Perak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $477 vs $274 per month, with Lumut, Perak cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇲🇾 Lumut, Perak

🕒 Local time

15:55 3:55 PM

14:55 2:55 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

39,595

💱 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 18, 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 18, 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

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Between locations

Seoul Lumut, Perak 4,570 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

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Lumut, Perak

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 Lumut, Perak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lumut, Perak wins on cost – living expenses run 82% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lumut, Perak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 858% 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 $406 in Lumut, Perak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lumut, Perak – a meal for two runs $12.00 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 $987 in Lumut, Perak – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lumut, Perak but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Lumut, Perak 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 Lumut, Perak 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 Lumut, Perak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.