Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Mata Utu

For one person, living is cheaper in Seoul: $1,822 a month against $5,241 in Mata Utu, rent and utilities included – about $41,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
Learn more

Seoul Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,822

/mo nomad

Mata Utu

🇼🇫 Wallis and Futuna

$5,241

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Mata Utu

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

A single person spends $1,822 per month in Seoul vs $5,241 in Mata Utu, rent included.

Seoul $1,822
Mata Utu $5,241

A couple spends around $2,847 per month in Seoul vs $6,656 in Mata Utu, rent included.

Seoul $2,847
Mata Utu $6,656

A family of three spends $3,872 per month in Seoul vs $8,071 in Mata Utu, rent included.

Seoul $3,872
Mata Utu $8,071

Seoul is about 65% cheaper than Mata Utu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Seoul and Mata Utu sit above the global median – Seoul by 36%, Mata Utu by 291%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.2K

$11.06 CFPF 1,176

-17.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 ₩90.0K

$111 CFPF 11.8K

-39.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₩9,964

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩5,482

$7.68 CFPF 817

-46.87%

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

$1.60 ₩2,146

$5.73 CFPF 610

-72.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,081

$3.29 CFPF 350

-75.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩4,898

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩7,974

$5.55 CFPF 590

7.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₩2,748

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₩4,139

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,659

Eggs

$3.57 ₩4,795

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.95 ₩24.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 ₩14.3K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.44 ₩35.5K

Apples (1kg)

$7.42 ₩9,969

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,743

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 ₩7,884

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 ₩8,554

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,040

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ₩3,345

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 ₩3,920

$11.17 CFPF 1,189

-73.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,545

$4.43 CFPF 471

-74.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,418

$16.77 CFPF 1,784

-80.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.8K

$16.69 CFPF 1,776

10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,064

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₩4,408

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,529

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.47 ₩61.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩4,674

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩805

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.70 ₩11.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,008

$1.83 CFPF 194

-18.03%

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

$29.1K ₩39.1M

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

$28.2K ₩37.9M

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

$209 ₩280.5K

$145 CFPF 15.4K

44.33%

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

$35.13 ₩47.2K

$112 CFPF 12.0K

-68.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.18 ₩28.4K

$3,335 CFPF 354.8K

-99.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₩77.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 ₩21.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 ₩15.2K

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

$1,902 ₩2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K ₩30.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₩79.1K

$220 CFPF 23.4K

-73.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.12 ₩43.1K

$91.5 CFPF 9,736

-64.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩94.2K

$228 CFPF 24.3K

-69.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩110.8K

$283 CFPF 30.1K

-70.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ₩1.2M

$898 CFPF 95.5K

-1.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩837.5K

$913 CFPF 97.1K

-31.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 ₩3.3M

$2,238 CFPF 238.1K

11.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ₩1.7M

$2,282 CFPF 242.8K

-44.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.8K ₩40.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.8K ₩15.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,649 ₩4.9M

$3,338 CFPF 355.2K

9.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

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

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Last update for Mata Utu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.7%

Mata Utu

–

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$479 26.7%

Mata Utu

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$265 14.8%

Mata Utu

–

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Mata Utu

–

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Mata Utu

–

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Mata Utu

–

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Mata Utu

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $885 in Seoul versus $898 in Mata Utu. 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 9% higher in Seoul, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Seoul versus $111 in Mata Utu. Groceries tell a different story – $479 in Seoul vs $131 in Mata Utu – so Mata Utu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇼🇫 Mata Utu

🕒 Local time

16:06 4:06 PM

19:06 7:06 PM

3 h ahead of Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

1,200 Capital

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.4 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XPF, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,343 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.4 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.38 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seoul Mata Utu 8,190 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Mata Utu

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 Mata Utu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,822 in Seoul, $5,241 in Mata Utu – roughly 188% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,733 per month in Seoul and $7,862 in Mata Utu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Seoul and $111 in Mata Utu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,822 in Seoul and $5,241 in Mata Utu. That's a gap of about 188%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,822, than in Mata Utu at $5,241. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mata Utu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Seoul – 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 Seoul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mata Utu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.