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: $1,784 in Seoul versus $1,433 in Pyeongtaek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,852 in Seoul versus $2,251 in Pyeongtaek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,920 in Seoul versus $3,069 in Pyeongtaek.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 33% above, Pyeongtaek 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.98 ₩13.3K

$7.02 ₩10.4K

27.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.4 ₩82.1K

$22.39 ₩33.2K

147.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 ₩9,588

$4.81 ₩7,128

34.30%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ₩5,591

$3.99 ₩5,915

-5.51%

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

$1.71 ₩2,537

$1.21 ₩1,799

41.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,199

$0.87 ₩1,289

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₩5,322

$3.72 ₩5,515

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 ₩8,952

$5.82 ₩8,638

3.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₩3,208

$2.27 ₩3,374

-4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 ₩4,987

$3.47 ₩5,141

-3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 ₩4,699

$3.00 ₩4,451

5.67%

Eggs

$3.15 ₩4,671

$2.86 ₩4,241

10.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 ₩21.4K

$10.32 ₩15.3K

40.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 ₩16.2K

$8.08 ₩12.0K

35.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.05 ₩50.5K

$28.10 ₩41.7K

21.17%

Apples (1kg)

$7.88 ₩11.7K

$8.33 ₩12.4K

-5.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.63 ₩5,390

$3.27 ₩4,856

11.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 ₩8,407

$7.61 ₩11.3K

-25.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.44 ₩9,553

$5.38 ₩7,975

19.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 ₩5,777

$5.26 ₩7,797

-26.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 ₩4,257

$3.00 ₩4,454

-4.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 ₩3,848

$2.07 ₩3,072

25.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,956

$1.15 ₩1,710

14.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,891

$3.26 ₩4,843

1.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.80 ₩29.4K

$17.04 ₩25.3K

16.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₩3,454

$1.73 ₩2,570

34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ₩4,793

$3.39 ₩5,026

-4.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,586

$1.07 ₩1,581

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.51 ₩69.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,190

$3.51 ₩5,203

-0.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩843

$0.85 ₩1,260

-32.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.59 ₩12.7K

$16.24 ₩24.1K

-47.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,793

$1.16 ₩1,714

4.31%

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

$27.4K ₩40.6M

$27.4K ₩40.7M

-0.25%

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

$25.1K ₩37.2M

$24.6K ₩36.5M

1.82%

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

$161 ₩239.2K

$187 ₩277.6K

-13.82%

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

$34.79 ₩51.6K

$17.23 ₩25.6K

101.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.48 ₩33.3K

$27.68 ₩41.1K

-18.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 ₩87.2K

$47.68 ₩70.7K

23.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.22 ₩34.4K

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 ₩16.5K

$11.27 ₩16.7K

-1.51%

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

$413 ₩612.3K

$481 ₩713.8K

-14.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K ₩34.3M

$14.2K ₩21.0M

62.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ₩85.9K

$102 ₩151.0K

-43.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.44 ₩70.4K

$47.20 ₩70.0K

0.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 ₩116.7K

$86.8 ₩128.8K

-9.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩173.0K

$119 ₩176.4K

-1.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 ₩1.4M

$446 ₩661.3K

114.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₩877.1K

$375 ₩556.6K

57.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,570 ₩3.8M

$1,084 ₩1.6M

137.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₩2.0M

$778 ₩1.2M

69.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K ₩27.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,790 ₩14.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,903 ₩4.3M

$1,934 ₩2.9M

50.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

4.22

-1.90%

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

Last update for Seoul: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pyeongtaek: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Seoul and $446 in Pyeongtaek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 50% 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: $55.0 in Seoul vs $22.00 in Pyeongtaek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $498 vs $449 per month, with Pyeongtaek cheaper across the board.

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 ($1,784 vs $1,433 including rent). Pyeongtaek is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Seoul pays 50% more on average, 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: $956 in Seoul versus $446 in Pyeongtaek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,784 per month in Seoul versus $1,433 in Pyeongtaek – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,433 in Pyeongtaek versus $1,784 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.