Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Pyeongtaek Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Pyeongtaek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,783 in Seoul versus $1,437 in Pyeongtaek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,868 in Seoul versus $2,790 in Pyeongtaek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,952 in Seoul versus $4,143 in Pyeongtaek.

Living in Seoul is roughly 24% more expensive than in Pyeongtaek, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 29% above, Pyeongtaek 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 ₩13.2K

$7.22 ₩9,682

36.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 ₩92.6K

$22.05 ₩29.6K

213.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 ₩10.2K

$4.76 ₩6,389

59.03%

Cappuccino

$4.04 ₩5,419

$3.73 ₩5,008

8.31%

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

$1.60 ₩2,151

$1.23 ₩1,652

30.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₩1,052

$0.88 ₩1,176

-11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₩5,026

$3.77 ₩5,056

-0.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 ₩8,190

$4.16 ₩5,572

46.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩2,880

$2.27 ₩3,039

-5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 ₩4,176

$3.24 ₩4,352

-4.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 ₩5,635

$3.14 ₩4,212

33.76%

Eggs

$3.41 ₩4,568

$2.58 ₩3,457

32.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.49 ₩23.5K

$10.84 ₩14.5K

61.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.84 ₩13.2K

$10.45 ₩14.0K

-5.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.26 ₩33.9K

$24.94 ₩33.4K

1.28%

Apples (1kg)

$7.80 ₩10.5K

$11.00 ₩14.7K

-29.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.34 ₩4,477

$3.71 ₩4,981

-9.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,792

$8.12 ₩10.9K

-28.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.20 ₩8,309

$5.82 ₩7,809

6.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 ₩4,784

$5.79 ₩7,769

-38.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,348

$3.29 ₩4,411

-24.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 ₩3,745

$2.76 ₩3,703

1.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₩1,499

$1.33 ₩1,779

-15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₩4,373

$3.24 ₩4,348

0.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.26 ₩24.5K

$18.62 ₩25.0K

-1.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,219

$2.39 ₩3,204

0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₩4,217

$3.48 ₩4,664

-9.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,506

$1.20 ₩1,615

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.94 ₩61.6K

$45.46 ₩61.0K

1.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩4,885

$3.62 ₩4,857

0.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩843

$0.58 ₩781

8.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.96 ₩12.0K

$8.78 ₩11.8K

2.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,023

$1.33 ₩1,786

13.53%

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

$29.8K ₩40.0M

$15.2K ₩20.4M

95.79%

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

$28.0K ₩37.6M

$15.2K ₩20.4M

83.93%

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

$201 ₩268.9K

$202 ₩270.2K

-0.49%

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

$34.79 ₩46.7K

$17.30 ₩23.2K

101.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.70 ₩26.4K

$26.89 ₩36.1K

-26.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 ₩76.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 ₩21.7K

Cinema Ticket

$11.04 ₩14.8K

$11.80 ₩15.8K

-6.44%

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

$1,915 ₩2.6M

$636 ₩852.9K

201.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K ₩30.5M

$21.4K ₩28.6M

6.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₩76.1K

$102 ₩137.4K

-44.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 ₩43.7K

$66.3 ₩89.0K

-50.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 ₩92.9K

$94.2 ₩126.3K

-26.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 ₩108.5K

$127 ₩170.8K

-36.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ₩1.2M

$515 ₩690.7K

73.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 ₩825.9K

$302 ₩405.4K

103.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,555 ₩3.4M

$1,895 ₩2.5M

34.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 ₩1.7M

$1,849 ₩2.5M

-31.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.4K ₩38.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K ₩15.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,457 ₩4.6M

$1,825 ₩2.4M

89.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.22

-3.32%

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

Last update for Seoul: September 7, 2026

Last update for Pyeongtaek: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $891 in Seoul and $515 in Pyeongtaek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 89% 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: $69.0 in Seoul vs $22.00 in Pyeongtaek. Groceries flip the comparison at $469 vs $484, with Seoul cheaper for home cooking.

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 Pyeongtaek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul and Pyeongtaek differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,783 vs $1,437 including rent). Pyeongtaek is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 89% 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: $891 in Seoul versus $515 in Pyeongtaek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pyeongtaek runs roughly 1% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,915 in Seoul versus $636 in Pyeongtaek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,437 in Pyeongtaek versus $1,783 in Seoul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pyeongtaek but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Pyeongtaek 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 Pyeongtaek 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 Pyeongtaek gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.