Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Nueva Ecija

For one person, living is cheaper in Nueva Ecija: $529 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 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
26

Cost of Living Index in Nueva Ecija
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Nueva Ecija Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Nueva Ecija

🇵🇭 Philippines

$529

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Nueva Ecija

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

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $529 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Nueva Ecija $529

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $935 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Nueva Ecija $935

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $1,340 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

Seoul $3,931
Nueva Ecija $1,340

Seoul costs about 239% more than Nueva Ecija, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Nueva Ecija is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$3.90 ₱246

125.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$16.99 ₱1,070

302.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$2.74 ₱173

175.18%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$1.42 ₱89.2

197.89%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.56 ₱35.40

191.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.30 ₱19.18

146.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$0.97 ₱61.2

275.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$1.56 ₱98.5

294.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.67 ₱105

20.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$0.96 ₱60.5

226.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$0.89 ₱56.0

385.39%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.54 ₱96.7

134.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$5.22 ₱329

241.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$3.31 ₱208

215.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$5.65 ₱356

356.64%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.20 ₱139

248.18%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$0.73 ₱46.06

363.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$1.76 ₱111

230.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.08 ₱67.8

493.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.66 ₱105

125.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$1.72 ₱109

47.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$0.62 ₱38.73

358.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.43 ₱26.97

158.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$2.26 ₱142

48.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$4.36 ₱275

324.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$0.96 ₱60.3

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$2.00 ₱126

68.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.27 ₱16.99

322.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$5.51 ₱347

736.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$0.70 ₱44.14

398.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.14 ₱9.01

350.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$1.01 ₱63.9

777.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$0.92 ₱58.1

64.13%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$16.1K ₱1.0M

82.29%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

47.24%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$78.7 ₱4,954

176.43%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$17.23 ₱1,085

104.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$18.30 ₱1,152

16.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$36.48 ₱2,297

59.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$4.38 ₱276

267.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$4.48 ₱282

152.46%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$134 ₱8,440

1352.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$10.6K ₱669.6K

114.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$29.15 ₱1,835

95.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$19.55 ₱1,231

70.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$70.6 ₱4,442

1.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$54.7 ₱3,445

50.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$114 ₱7,197

687.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$68.6 ₱4,321

791.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$173 ₱10.9K

1364.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$357 ₱22.5K

255.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,452 ₱154.4K

1099.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$883 ₱55.6K

1248.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$189 ₱11.9K

1831.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

6.75

-39.56%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nueva Ecija: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Nueva Ecija

$69 13% 88.8% $543

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Nueva Ecija

$147 27.7% 69.3% $330

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Nueva Ecija

$114 21.6% 58.3% $160

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Nueva Ecija

$68 12.8% 63.1% $116

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Nueva Ecija

$78 14.8% 28.8% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Nueva Ecija

$45 8.6% 43.7% $35

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Nueva Ecija

$8 1.5% 86% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $114 in Nueva Ecija. 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 1832% higher in Seoul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Seoul versus $17.00 in Nueva Ecija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $147 – making Nueva Ecija the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Nueva Ecija

🕒 Local time

02:42 2:42 AM

01:42 1:42 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

64,610

💱 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 18, 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 18, 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 Nueva Ecija 2,510 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Nueva Ecija

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 Nueva Ecija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 239% more than Nueva Ecija, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,692 per month in Seoul and $794 in Nueva Ecija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nueva Ecija, 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 $68.0 in Seoul and $17.00 in Nueva Ecija. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,794 in Seoul and $529 in Nueva Ecija. That's a gap of about 239%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nueva Ecija, where all-in costs run around $529, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Nueva Ecija it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nueva Ecija – 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 Nueva Ecija. 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.