Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Putra Heights

For one person, living is cheaper in Putra Heights: $942 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 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
46

Cost of Living Index in Putra Heights
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Putra Heights Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Putra Heights

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$942

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Putra Heights

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Seoul versus $942 in Putra Heights.

Seoul $1,794
Putra Heights $942

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Seoul versus $1,398 in Putra Heights.

Seoul $2,863
Putra Heights $1,398

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Seoul versus $1,855 in Putra Heights.

Seoul $3,931
Putra Heights $1,855

Living in Seoul is roughly 91% more expensive than in Putra Heights, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seoul is 33% above, Putra Heights is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$3.75 MYR 15.29

134.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$18.38 MYR 75.0

271.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$4.88 MYR 19.93

54.51%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.98 MYR 12.15

41.95%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.85 MYR 3.47

91.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.44 MYR 1.81

68.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$4.52 MYR 18.45

-19.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$6.15 MYR 25.10

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.75 MYR 7.12

14.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.11 MYR 4.53

181.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$1.48 MYR 6.02

191.89%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.74 MYR 7.09

107.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$13.83 MYR 56.4

28.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.32 MYR 17.62

141.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$9.66 MYR 39.39

167.08%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$3.42 MYR 13.97

123.98%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.66 MYR 6.78

103.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.32 MYR 9.45

150.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.55 MYR 6.31

313.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.29 MYR 5.25

190.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$1.35 MYR 5.52

88.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$1.17 MYR 4.78

142.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.52 MYR 2.10

113.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$4.40 MYR 17.93

-23.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$14.00 MYR 57.1

32.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$2.89 MYR 11.79

-16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$3.10 MYR 12.66

8.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.75 MYR 3.07

52.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$12.05 MYR 49.14

282.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$1.01 MYR 4.11

245.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.70 MYR 2.86

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$4.99 MYR 20.35

77.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$0.83 MYR 3.37

81.93%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$42.1K MYR 171.8K

-30.47%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$35.1K MYR 143.3K

-19.69%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$63.4 MYR 259

242.98%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$8.81 MYR 35.92

298.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$26.68 MYR 109

-20.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$39.80 MYR 162

45.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$7.32 MYR 29.87

119.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$5.06 MYR 20.64

123.52%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$162 MYR 659

1105.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$5,415 MYR 22.1K

322.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$53.4 MYR 218

6.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$16.30 MYR 66.5

104.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$81.8 MYR 334

-12.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$96.5 MYR 393

-14.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$405 MYR 1,654

122.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$298 MYR 1,214

105.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$675 MYR 2,753

274.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$480 MYR 1,958

163.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$1,835 MYR 7,484

1503.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$944 MYR 3,851

1161.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$1,121 MYR 4,575

225.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.06

0.49%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Putra Heights: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Putra Heights

$298 31.6% 51.4% $314

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Putra Heights

$244 25.9% 48.9% $233

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Putra Heights

$99 10.5% 63.9% $175

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Putra Heights

$120 12.8% 34.4% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Putra Heights

$112 11.9% 1.4% $1.6

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Putra Heights

$50 5.3% 38.1% $31

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Putra Heights

$20 2.1% 65.9% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Seoul and $405 in Putra Heights. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 226% 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 $18.00 in Putra Heights for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $477 vs $244 per month, with Putra Heights cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇲🇾 Putra Heights

🕒 Local time

16:25 4:25 PM

15:25 3:25 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

60,000

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, 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).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Seoul Putra Heights 4,630 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Putra Heights

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 Putra Heights: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Putra Heights is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 226% 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 $405 in Putra Heights. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,794 per month in Seoul versus $942 in Putra Heights – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Putra Heights runs roughly 283% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $942 in Putra Heights versus $1,794 in Seoul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Putra Heights but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Putra Heights 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 Putra Heights 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 Putra Heights gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.