Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Pampanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Pampanga: $683 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 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
33

Cost of Living Index in Pampanga
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Pampanga Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Pampanga

🇵🇭 Philippines

$683

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Pampanga

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $683 in Pampanga.

Seoul $1,794
Pampanga $683

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $1,034 in Pampanga.

Seoul $2,863
Pampanga $1,034

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $1,385 in Pampanga.

Seoul $3,931
Pampanga $1,385

Living in Seoul is roughly 163% more expensive than in Pampanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, Pampanga is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$2.74 ₱173

221.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$15.91 ₱1,001

329.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$3.28 ₱206

129.88%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.17 ₱136

94.93%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.61 ₱38.47

167.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.31 ₱19.69

138.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$1.18 ₱74.3

208.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$2.01 ₱126

205.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.43 ₱89.9

40.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.11 ₱70.2

181.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$0.78 ₱49.42

453.85%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.50 ₱94.1

140.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$4.10 ₱258

334.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$2.90 ₱183

260.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$6.37 ₱401

305.02%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$1.86 ₱117

311.83%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$0.93 ₱58.4

263.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.12 ₱134

174.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.04 ₱65.2

516.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.46 ₱92.2

156.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$1.51 ₱95.3

68.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$0.83 ₱52.0

242.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.54 ₱34.11

105.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$1.94 ₱122

72.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$5.98 ₱377

209.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$0.70 ₱43.99

242.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$1.24 ₱78.1

171.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.26 ₱16.52

338.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$11.36 ₱715

305.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$0.74 ₱46.64

371.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.23 ₱14.49

173.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$1.74 ₱109

409.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$1.05 ₱66.3

43.81%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$18.7K ₱1.2M

56.61%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$17.6K ₱1.1M

60.60%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$131 ₱8,249

66.01%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$14.96 ₱942

134.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$28.08 ₱1,768

-24.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$29.56 ₱1,861

96.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$4.82 ₱303

234.02%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$4.86 ₱306

132.72%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$131 ₱8,262

1384.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$7,954 ₱500.8K

187.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$26.71 ₱1,682

113.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$19.85 ₱1,250

68.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$71.8 ₱4,521

-0.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$37.39 ₱2,354

120.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$268 ₱16.9K

235.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$170 ₱10.7K

259.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$517 ₱32.5K

388.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$371 ₱23.4K

241.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,405 ₱151.4K

1123.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$992 ₱62.5K

1099.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$299 ₱18.8K

1122.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

6.79

-39.91%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Pampanga: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Pampanga

$170 24.9% 72.2% $442

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Pampanga

$144 21.1% 69.8% $333

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Pampanga

$174 25.5% 36.5% $100

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Pampanga

$71 10.5% 61.2% $112

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Pampanga

$70 10.3% 36.3% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Pampanga

$39 5.8% 51.3% $41

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Pampanga

$14 2.1% 75.1% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Seoul and $268 in Pampanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 1122% 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 Pampanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $477 vs $144 per month, with Pampanga cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Pampanga

🕒 Local time

06:51 6:51 AM

05:51 5:51 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

15,616

💱 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 17, 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 17, 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 Pampanga 3,390 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Pampanga

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 Pampanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pampanga wins on cost – living expenses run 163% lower than in Seoul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pampanga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1122% 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 $268 in Pampanga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,948 in Seoul versus $131 in Pampanga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 231% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $683 in Pampanga versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pampanga but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Pampanga 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 Pampanga 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 Pampanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.