Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Naga

For one person, living is cheaper in Naga: $558 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 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
38

Cost of Living Index in Naga
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Naga Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Naga

🇵🇭 Philippines

$558

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Naga

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $558 in Naga.

Seoul $1,794
Naga $558

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $852 in Naga.

Seoul $2,863
Naga $852

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $1,147 in Naga.

Seoul $3,931
Naga $1,147

Living in Seoul is roughly 222% more expensive than in Naga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, Naga is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$5.26 ₱331

67.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$13.42 ₱845

409.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$2.70 ₱170

179.26%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.67 ₱168

58.43%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.71 ₱44.50

129.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.25 ₱15.80

196.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$1.32 ₱83.3

175.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$3.14 ₱197

95.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.95 ₱123

3.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$0.85 ₱53.3

268.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$0.82 ₱51.7

426.83%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.70 ₱107

112.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$10.19 ₱642

74.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.07 ₱256

156.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$6.99 ₱440

269.10%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$1.98 ₱125

286.87%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.63 ₱102

107.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.44 ₱154

138.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$2.43 ₱153

163.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$2.57 ₱162

45.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$2.22 ₱140

14.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$4.76 ₱300

-40.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.62 ₱39.28

79.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$2.89 ₱182

15.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$3.77 ₱237

390.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$1.61 ₱101

49.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$0.57 ₱36.08

512.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$1.26 ₱79.4

19.84%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$99.1 ₱6,242

119.41%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$23.41 ₱1,474

50.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$26.23 ₱1,651

-18.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$8.07 ₱508

619.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$4.80 ₱302

135.63%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$8,052 ₱507.0K

183.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$158 ₱9,919

471.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$85.9 ₱5,411

611.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$251 ₱15.8K

905.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$194 ₱12.2K

553.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$145 ₱9,126

2418.23%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Naga: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Naga

$86 15.4% 86% $526

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Naga

$206 * 36.9% 56.8% $271

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Naga

$149 26.7% 45.7% $125

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Naga

$99 17.7% 46.2% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Naga

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Naga

$18 3.2% 78.1% $63

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Naga

$0.6 * 0.1% 99% $57

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Seoul and $158 in Naga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 2418% 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 $13.00 in Naga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $477 vs $206 per month, with Naga cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Naga

🕒 Local time

23:28 11:28 PM

22:28 10:28 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

115,750

💱 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 Naga 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Naga

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 Naga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul and Naga differ by about 222% in total monthly costs ($1,794 vs $558 including rent). Naga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2418% 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 $158 in Naga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Naga – a meal for two runs $13.00 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 $558 in Naga – a 222% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $558 in Naga versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Naga but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Naga 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 Naga 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 Naga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 222% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.