Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Mokpo Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Mokpo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,784 per month in Seoul vs $1,456 in Mokpo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,852 per month in Seoul vs $2,261 in Mokpo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,920 per month in Seoul vs $3,067 in Mokpo, rent included.

Seoul costs about 23% more than Mokpo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Mokpo sit above the global median – Seoul by 33%, Mokpo by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.98 ₩13.3K

$13.34 ₩19.8K

-32.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.4 ₩82.1K

$36.13 ₩53.6K

53.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 ₩9,588

$5.31 ₩7,872

21.66%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ₩5,591

$3.78 ₩5,605

-0.26%

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

$1.71 ₩2,537

$1.52 ₩2,255

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,199

$0.79 ₩1,165

2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₩5,322

$3.33 ₩4,938

7.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 ₩8,952

$5.02 ₩7,446

20.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₩3,208

$2.25 ₩3,332

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 ₩4,987

$3.15 ₩4,667

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 ₩4,699

$3.10 ₩4,599

2.26%

Eggs

$3.15 ₩4,671

$2.95 ₩4,383

6.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 ₩21.4K

$10.62 ₩15.8K

36.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 ₩16.2K

$8.31 ₩12.3K

31.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.05 ₩50.5K

$27.81 ₩41.3K

22.44%

Apples (1kg)

$7.88 ₩11.7K

$7.96 ₩11.8K

-1.01%

Banana (1kg)

$3.63 ₩5,390

$3.26 ₩4,831

11.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 ₩8,407

$5.53 ₩8,197

2.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.44 ₩9,553

$5.35 ₩7,937

20.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 ₩5,777

$3.98 ₩5,906

-2.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 ₩4,257

$2.93 ₩4,349

-2.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 ₩3,848

$2.17 ₩3,219

19.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,956

$1.16 ₩1,727

13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,891

$3.25 ₩4,815

1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.80 ₩29.4K

$15.24 ₩22.6K

29.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₩3,454

$1.89 ₩2,809

23.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ₩4,793

$3.32 ₩4,922

-2.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,586

$1.06 ₩1,578

0.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.51 ₩69.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,190

$3.43 ₩5,087

2.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩843

$0.53 ₩785

7.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.59 ₩12.7K

$9.02 ₩13.4K

-4.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,793

$1.16 ₩1,727

4.31%

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

$27.4K ₩40.6M

$27.5K ₩40.8M

-0.44%

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

$25.1K ₩37.2M

$24.7K ₩36.6M

1.51%

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

$161 ₩239.2K

$163 ₩241.8K

-1.06%

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

$34.79 ₩51.6K

$35.17 ₩52.2K

-1.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.48 ₩33.3K

$22.64 ₩33.6K

-0.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 ₩87.2K

$48.24 ₩71.6K

21.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.22 ₩34.4K

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 ₩16.5K

$10.98 ₩16.3K

1.09%

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

$413 ₩612.3K

$406 ₩602.1K

1.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K ₩34.3M

$23.9K ₩35.5M

-3.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ₩85.9K

$50.7 ₩75.3K

14.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.44 ₩70.4K

$47.68 ₩70.7K

-0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 ₩116.7K

$80.6 ₩119.6K

-2.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩173.0K

$115 ₩170.8K

1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 ₩1.4M

$449 ₩665.9K

112.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₩877.1K

$383 ₩567.8K

54.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,570 ₩3.8M

$1,070 ₩1.6M

140.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₩2.0M

$764 ₩1.1M

72.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K ₩27.4M

$9,807 ₩14.5M

88.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,790 ₩14.5M

$5,109 ₩7.6M

91.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,903 ₩4.3M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Seoul: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mokpo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Seoul versus $449 in Mokpo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Seoul versus $36.00 in Mokpo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $498 vs $430 – making Mokpo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mokpo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,676 per month in Seoul and $2,183 in Mokpo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,784 in Seoul and $1,456 in Mokpo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $413 per month in Seoul and $406 in Mokpo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mokpo, where all-in costs run around $1,456, than in Seoul at $1,784. In Mokpo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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