Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Mandaue

For one person, living is cheaper in Mandaue: $825 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 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
40

Cost of Living Index in Mandaue
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Mandaue Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Mandaue

🇵🇭 Philippines

$825

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Mandaue

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $825 in Mandaue.

Seoul $1,794
Mandaue $825

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $1,203 in Mandaue.

Seoul $2,863
Mandaue $1,203

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $1,581 in Mandaue.

Seoul $3,931
Mandaue $1,581

Living in Seoul is roughly 118% more expensive than in Mandaue, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, Mandaue is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$2.96 ₱187

197.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩91.2K

$23.45 ₱1,477

191.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.1K

$3.99 ₱252

88.97%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,644

$2.58 ₱162

63.95%

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

$1.63 ₩2,175

$1.54 ₱97.0

5.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩988

$0.49 ₱31.06

51.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,860

$1.72 ₱108

111.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,203

$2.28 ₱144

169.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,688

$1.95 ₱123

3.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,178

$1.09 ₱68.8

187.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,764

$0.93 ₱58.8

364.52%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,810

$1.97 ₱124

83.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.8K

$9.91 ₱624

79.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.36 ₱275

139.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.4K

$7.63 ₱481

238.14%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$3.47 ₱219

120.75%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,514

$1.43 ₱90.1

136.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,750

$2.28 ₱144

154.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,549

$1.47 ₱92.6

336.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,000

$2.34 ₱147

60.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,387

$1.97 ₱124

28.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,796

$1.19 ₱74.9

138.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,477

$0.67 ₱42.43

65.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,470

$2.37 ₱149

41.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.7K

$6.29 ₱396

193.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,196

$1.23 ₱77.5

95.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,495

$1.72 ₱108

95.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,526

$0.24 ₱14.98

375.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.5K

$9.67 ₱609

376.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,660

$0.74 ₱46.71

371.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩843

$0.21 ₱13.20

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$1.88 ₱119

371.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,012

$1.32 ₱83.3

14.39%

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

$29.3K ₩39.1M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

37.93%

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

$28.2K ₩37.6M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

47.51%

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

$218 ₩290.2K

$98.3 ₱6,190

121.35%

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

$35.15 ₩46.9K

$14.07 ₱886

149.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.4K

$27.93 ₱1,759

-23.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.5K

$33.01 ₱2,079

75.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.5K

$5.27 ₱332

205.50%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.1K

$5.69 ₱358

98.77%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$130 ₱8,208

1394.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.5M

$7,979 ₱502.6K

186.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩76.1K

$32.91 ₱2,073

73.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.5K

$19.62 ₱1,236

70.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.4K

$76.1 ₱4,793

-6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩110.1K

$57.7 ₱3,634

43.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$429 ₱27.1K

109.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩816.3K

$251 ₱15.8K

143.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$747 ₱47.1K

238.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$353 ₱22.2K

258.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.3M

$2,174 ₱136.9K

1253.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.9M

$902 ₱56.8K

1220.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$234 ₱14.8K

1456.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

7.2

-43.33%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Mandaue: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Mandaue

$251 30.5% 58.9% $361

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Mandaue

$205 24.8% 57% $272

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Mandaue

$140 17% 48.8% $134

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Mandaue

$88 10.7% 52.2% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Mandaue

$84 10.2% 23.8% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Mandaue

$44 5.4% 45% $36

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Mandaue

$12 1.5% 78.4% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Seoul and $429 in Mandaue. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 1457% 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 $23.00 in Mandaue for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $477 vs $205 per month, with Mandaue cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Mandaue

🕒 Local time

06:04 6:04 AM

05:04 5:04 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

364,116

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.67 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,500 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seoul Mandaue 3,040 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Mandaue

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 Mandaue: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandaue wins on cost – living expenses run 118% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mandaue the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1457% 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 $429 in Mandaue. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandaue – a meal for two runs $23.00 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 $825 in Mandaue – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $825 in Mandaue versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mandaue but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaue 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 Mandaue 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 Mandaue gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.