Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Malaybalay

For one person, living is cheaper in Malaybalay: $756 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 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
37

Cost of Living Index in Malaybalay
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Malaybalay Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Malaybalay

🇵🇭 Philippines

$756

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Malaybalay

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $756 in Malaybalay.

Seoul $1,794
Malaybalay $756

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $1,182 in Malaybalay.

Seoul $2,863
Malaybalay $1,182

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $1,607 in Malaybalay.

Seoul $3,931
Malaybalay $1,607

Living in Seoul is roughly 137% more expensive than in Malaybalay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, Malaybalay is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$4.89 ₱308

79.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$16.45 ₱1,035

315.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$3.51 ₱221

114.81%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.18 ₱137

94.04%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.49 ₱31.14

232.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.33 ₱20.93

124.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$1.13 ₱71.2

222.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$1.92 ₱121

220.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$2.02 ₱127

-0.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.13 ₱71.2

176.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$0.88 ₱55.2

390.91%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.87 ₱118

93.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$6.41 ₱404

178.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.87 ₱307

114.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$9.06 ₱570

184.77%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.77 ₱175

176.53%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.07 ₱67.2

215.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.39 ₱150

143.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.14 ₱71.8

462.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.96 ₱123

91.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$3.39 ₱213

-25.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$1.20 ₱75.3

136.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.66 ₱41.82

68.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$2.47 ₱156

35.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$7.77 ₱489

137.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$1.27 ₱80.1

88.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$1.62 ₱102

108.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.22 ₱13.60

418.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$10.70 ₱674

330.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$0.84 ₱52.9

315.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.23 ₱14.40

173.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$1.90 ₱119

366.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$1.27 ₱80.2

18.90%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$21.6K ₱1.4M

35.61%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

48.64%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$109 ₱6,856

99.74%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$19.33 ₱1,217

81.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$31.17 ₱1,962

-31.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$30.01 ₱1,890

93.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$4.18 ₱263

285.17%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$4.86 ₱306

132.72%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$106 ₱6,689

1733.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$7,589 ₱477.8K

201.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$33.02 ₱2,079

72.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$19.31 ₱1,216

72.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$70.7 ₱4,451

1.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$60.7 ₱3,821

35.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$279 ₱17.5K

223.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$173 ₱10.9K

254.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$441 ₱27.8K

472.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$403 ₱25.4K

213.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,200 ₱138.5K

1237.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$1,006 ₱63.4K

1082.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

8.31

-50.90%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Malaybalay: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Malaybalay

$173 22.8% 71.8% $439

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Malaybalay

$199 26.4% 58.2% $278

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Malaybalay

$159 21.1% 41.8% $115

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Malaybalay

$89 11.7% 51.8% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Malaybalay

$83 10.9% 24.8% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Malaybalay

$40 5.3% 50.7% $41

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Malaybalay

$14 1.8% 76.4% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Seoul and $279 in Malaybalay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Seoul vs $16.00 in Malaybalay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $477 vs $199 per month, with Malaybalay cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Malaybalay

🕒 Local time

04:19 4:19 AM

03:19 3:19 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

190,712

💱 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 19, 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 19, 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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Between locations

Seoul Malaybalay 3,280 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Malaybalay

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 Malaybalay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul and Malaybalay differ by about 137% in total monthly costs ($1,794 vs $756 including rent). Malaybalay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,692 in Seoul and $1,134 in Malaybalay to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $901 in Seoul versus $279 in Malaybalay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 139% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Malaybalay – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $68.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $756 in Malaybalay versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Malaybalay but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Malaybalay 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 Malaybalay 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 Malaybalay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.