Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Olongapo

For one person, living is cheaper in Olongapo: $706 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 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
34

Cost of Living Index in Olongapo
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Olongapo Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Olongapo

🇵🇭 Philippines

$706

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Olongapo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $706 in Olongapo.

Seoul $1,794
Olongapo $706

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $1,067 in Olongapo.

Seoul $2,863
Olongapo $1,067

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $1,429 in Olongapo.

Seoul $3,931
Olongapo $1,429

Living in Seoul is roughly 154% more expensive than in Olongapo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, Olongapo is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$3.94 ₱248

123.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$16.49 ₱1,038

314.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$2.77 ₱174

172.20%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$1.77 ₱111

138.98%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.61 ₱38.13

167.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.31 ₱19.29

138.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$0.98 ₱61.7

271.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$1.39 ₱87.4

342.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.60 ₱101

25.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$0.41 ₱26.00

663.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$0.82 ₱51.9

426.83%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.89 ₱119

91.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$5.18 ₱326

244.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$2.48 ₱156

321.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$8.04 ₱506

220.90%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.22 ₱140

245.05%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$0.91 ₱57.5

271.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.34 ₱147

148.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.02 ₱64.4

528.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.68 ₱106

123.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$1.70 ₱107

49.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$0.62 ₱38.96

358.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.42 ₱26.25

164.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$3.01 ₱189

11.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$8.97 ₱565

106.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$0.91 ₱57.5

163.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$2.06 ₱130

63.59%

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

$12.17 ₱766

278.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$0.78 ₱48.96

347.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.25 ₱15.85

152.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$1.97 ₱124

349.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$1.12 ₱70.6

34.82%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

39.57%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

45.45%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$127 ₱8,003

71.13%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$17.27 ₱1,087

103.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$23.49 ₱1,479

-9.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$32.45 ₱2,043

78.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$4.67 ₱294

244.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$4.35 ₱274

160.00%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$79.1 ₱4,977

2363.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$10.7K ₱670.6K

114.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$29.28 ₱1,844

94.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$19.67 ₱1,238

69.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$71.9 ₱4,529

-0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$56.7 ₱3,569

45.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$266 ₱16.8K

238.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$173 ₱10.9K

254.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$258 ₱16.2K

878.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$355 ₱22.3K

256.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,473 ₱155.7K

1089.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$1,008 ₱63.5K

1081.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$133 ₱8,371

2645.32%

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 Olongapo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Olongapo

$173 24.5% 71.8% $439

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Olongapo

$157 22.2% 67.1% $320

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Olongapo

$168 23.8% 38.7% $106

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Olongapo

$72 10.3% 60.6% $111

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Olongapo

$80 11.3% 27.4% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Olongapo

$41 5.8% 49% $40

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Olongapo

$15 2.2% 73.3% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Seoul and $266 in Olongapo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 2645% 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 $16.00 in Olongapo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $477 vs $157 per month, with Olongapo cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Olongapo

🕒 Local time

23:57 11:57 PM

22:57 10:57 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

233,040

💱 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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Highest

Between locations

Seoul Olongapo 2,610 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Olongapo

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 Olongapo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olongapo wins on cost – living expenses run 154% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Olongapo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 2645% 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 $266 in Olongapo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,948 in Seoul versus $79.1 in Olongapo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 204% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $706 in Olongapo versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Olongapo but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Olongapo 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 Olongapo 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 Olongapo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 154% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.