Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Marawi

For one person, living is cheaper in Marawi: $727 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 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 Marawi
Learn more

Marawi Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Marawi

🇵🇭 Philippines

$727

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Marawi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $727 in Marawi.

Seoul $1,794
Marawi $727

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $1,104 in Marawi.

Seoul $2,863
Marawi $1,104

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $1,481 in Marawi.

Seoul $3,931
Marawi $1,481

Living in Seoul is roughly 147% more expensive than in Marawi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, Marawi is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$3.97 ₱250

121.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$16.84 ₱1,060

306.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$2.72 ₱171

177.21%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.20 ₱139

92.27%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.61 ₱38.65

167.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.33 ₱21.03

124.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$1.07 ₱67.2

240.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$2.11 ₱133

191.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.60 ₱101

25.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.10 ₱69.1

184.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$0.97 ₱60.8

345.36%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.97 ₱124

83.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$5.45 ₱343

227.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.19 ₱264

149.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$6.88 ₱433

275.00%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.46 ₱155

211.38%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.61 ₱102

109.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.41 ₱152

141.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.13 ₱71.2

467.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.93 ₱121

94.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$2.03 ₱128

25.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$0.92 ₱57.9

208.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.58 ₱36.33

91.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$2.60 ₱164

28.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$7.71 ₱485

139.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$1.04 ₱65.7

130.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$1.97 ₱124

71.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.22 ₱13.77

418.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$12.71 ₱800

262.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$0.74 ₱46.65

371.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.24 ₱15.03

162.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$2.15 ₱136

312.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$1.19 ₱74.8

26.89%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

42.42%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

48.55%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$119 ₱7,466

83.44%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$17.08 ₱1,075

105.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$24.37 ₱1,534

-12.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$30.56 ₱1,924

89.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$4.56 ₱287

253.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$4.55 ₱286

148.57%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$132 ₱8,339

1370.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$7,903 ₱497.6K

189.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$32.59 ₱2,052

75.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$19.71 ₱1,241

69.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$70.5 ₱4,436

1.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$54.8 ₱3,452

50.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$272 ₱17.1K

231.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$173 ₱10.9K

253.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$514 ₱32.3K

391.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$348 ₱21.9K

263.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,286 ₱144.0K

1186.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$989 ₱62.2K

1103.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$289 ₱18.2K

1162.91%

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 Marawi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Marawi

$173 23.8% 71.7% $439

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Marawi

$179 24.6% 62.5% $298

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Marawi

$160 22% 41.6% $114

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Marawi

$80 11% 56.6% $104

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Marawi

$80 11% 27.4% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Marawi

$40 5.5% 50.8% $41

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Marawi

$16 2.1% 72.9% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Seoul and $272 in Marawi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 1163% 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 $17.00 in Marawi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $477 vs $179 per month, with Marawi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Marawi

🕒 Local time

06:37 6:37 AM

05:37 5:37 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

207,010

💱 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 17, 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 17, 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 Marawi 3,300 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Marawi

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 Marawi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul and Marawi differ by about 147% in total monthly costs ($1,794 vs $727 including rent). Marawi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1163% 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 $272 in Marawi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,794 per month in Seoul versus $727 in Marawi – a 147% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Marawi runs roughly 263% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $727 in Marawi versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marawi but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Marawi 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 Marawi 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 Marawi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 147% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.