Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Polomolok

For one person, living is cheaper in Polomolok: $620 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 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
30

Cost of Living Index in Polomolok
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Polomolok Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Polomolok

🇵🇭 Philippines

$620

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Polomolok

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

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $620 in Polomolok, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Polomolok $620

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $985 in Polomolok, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Polomolok $985

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $1,350 in Polomolok, rent included.

Seoul $3,931
Polomolok $1,350

Seoul costs about 190% more than Polomolok, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Polomolok is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$1.58 ₱99.2

456.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$16.91 ₱1,065

304.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$2.12 ₱133

255.66%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.23 ₱140

89.69%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.41 ₱26.06

297.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.67 ₱42.48

10.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$1.12 ₱70.4

225.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$1.90 ₱120

223.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.67 ₱105

20.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$0.87 ₱54.7

259.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$0.67 ₱42.21

544.78%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.92 ₱121

88.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$6.47 ₱407

175.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$2.69 ₱170

288.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$5.63 ₱355

358.26%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.59 ₱163

195.75%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$0.54 ₱34.16

525.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.42 ₱153

140.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$0.77 ₱48.17

732.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.22 ₱76.6

207.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$2.80 ₱176

-9.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$0.78 ₱49.30

264.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.71 ₱44.43

56.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$2.40 ₱151

39.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$7.19 ₱453

157.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$1.01 ₱63.7

137.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$1.47 ₱92.2

129.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.22 ₱13.74

418.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$11.28 ₱710

308.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$0.77 ₱48.76

353.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.25 ₱15.81

152.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$1.89 ₱119

368.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$0.93 ₱58.3

62.37%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$16.2K ₱1.0M

80.75%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$17.3K ₱1.1M

62.91%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$52.3 ₱3,290

316.31%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$19.17 ₱1,207

83.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$26.21 ₱1,650

-18.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$31.95 ₱2,011

81.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$4.68 ₱295

244.02%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$3.87 ₱244

192.25%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$109 ₱6,848

1690.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$1,344 ₱84.6K

1601.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$33.49 ₱2,109

70.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$19.40 ₱1,222

72.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$62.8 ₱3,952

13.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$60.6 ₱3,818

36.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$269 ₱17.0K

234.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$171 ₱10.8K

258.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$580 ₱36.5K

335.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$374 ₱23.6K

238.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,452 ₱154.4K

1099.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$1,010 ₱63.6K

1078.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$243 ₱15.3K

1403.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

-32.00%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Polomolok: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Polomolok

$171 27.6% 72.1% $441

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Polomolok

$158 25.6% 66.8% $318

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Polomolok

$98 15.8% 64.4% $176

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Polomolok

$59 9.6% 67.6% $124

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Polomolok

$79 12.8% 27.9% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Polomolok

$40 6.4% 50.8% $41

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Polomolok

$14 2.3% 75.3% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $269 in Polomolok. 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 1403% 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 Polomolok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $158 – making Polomolok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Polomolok

🕒 Local time

06:37 6:37 AM

05:37 5:37 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

172,605

💱 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 Polomolok 3,490 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Polomolok

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 Polomolok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 190% more than Polomolok, 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 $929 in Polomolok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 309% less in Polomolok. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,948 per month in Seoul and $109 in Polomolok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polomolok, where all-in costs run around $620, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Polomolok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Polomolok – 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 Polomolok. 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.