Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Sacheon Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Sacheon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,783 in Seoul versus $1,426 in Sacheon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,868 in Seoul versus $2,224 in Sacheon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,952 in Seoul versus $3,021 in Sacheon.

Living in Seoul is roughly 25% more expensive than in Sacheon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 29% above, Sacheon 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 ₩13.2K

$7.25 ₩9,728

35.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 ₩92.6K

$34.52 ₩46.3K

100.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 ₩10.2K

$6.69 ₩8,970

13.15%

Cappuccino

$4.04 ₩5,419

$3.58 ₩4,802

12.85%

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

$1.60 ₩2,151

$1.60 ₩2,140

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₩1,052

$0.66 ₩889

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₩5,026

$3.41 ₩4,573

9.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 ₩8,190

$4.32 ₩5,796

41.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩2,880

$2.01 ₩2,697

6.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 ₩4,176

$3.05 ₩4,088

1.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 ₩5,635

$3.21 ₩4,301

30.84%

Eggs

$3.41 ₩4,568

$2.61 ₩3,500

30.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.49 ₩23.5K

$12.34 ₩16.6K

41.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.84 ₩13.2K

$7.15 ₩9,594

37.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.26 ₩33.9K

$19.11 ₩25.6K

32.18%

Apples (1kg)

$7.80 ₩10.5K

$7.63 ₩10.2K

2.23%

Banana (1kg)

$3.34 ₩4,477

$3.52 ₩4,718

-5.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,792

$7.32 ₩9,815

-20.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.20 ₩8,309

$6.39 ₩8,563

-2.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 ₩4,784

$4.68 ₩6,279

-23.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,348

$2.28 ₩3,057

9.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 ₩3,745

$2.87 ₩3,851

-2.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₩1,499

$1.11 ₩1,486

0.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₩4,373

$3.32 ₩4,457

-1.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.26 ₩24.5K

$20.44 ₩27.4K

-10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,219

$2.36 ₩3,160

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₩4,217

$3.78 ₩5,071

-16.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,506

$1.08 ₩1,451

3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.94 ₩61.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩4,885

$2.99 ₩4,010

21.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩843

$0.61 ₩822

3.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.96 ₩12.0K

$18.49 ₩24.8K

-51.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,023

$1.23 ₩1,650

22.76%

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

$29.8K ₩40.0M

$25.1K ₩33.7M

18.80%

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

$28.0K ₩37.6M

$35.5K ₩47.6M

-21.12%

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

$201 ₩268.9K

$202 ₩271.3K

-0.88%

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

$34.79 ₩46.7K

$38.40 ₩51.5K

-9.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.70 ₩26.4K

$22.42 ₩30.1K

-12.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 ₩76.4K

$48.61 ₩65.2K

17.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 ₩21.7K

$12.55 ₩16.8K

29.08%

Cinema Ticket

$11.04 ₩14.8K

$10.87 ₩14.6K

1.56%

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

$1,915 ₩2.6M

$503 ₩674.4K

280.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K ₩30.5M

$24.1K ₩32.3M

-5.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₩76.1K

$58.6 ₩78.6K

-3.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 ₩43.7K

$62.4 ₩83.7K

-47.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 ₩92.9K

$77.1 ₩103.4K

-10.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 ₩108.5K

$101 ₩135.5K

-19.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ₩1.2M

$478 ₩641.3K

86.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 ₩825.9K

$362 ₩485.0K

70.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,555 ₩3.4M

$1,116 ₩1.5M

128.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 ₩1.7M

$706 ₩947.0K

78.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.4K ₩38.1M

$7,800 ₩10.5M

263.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K ₩15.5M

$5,864 ₩7.9M

97.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,457 ₩4.6M

$1,493 ₩2.0M

131.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.1

-0.49%

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

Last update for Seoul: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sacheon: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $891 in Seoul and $478 in Sacheon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 132% 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 $35.00 in Sacheon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $469 vs $428 per month, with Sacheon 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 Sacheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul and Sacheon differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,783 vs $1,426 including rent). Sacheon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 132% 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 $478 in Sacheon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Seoul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,783 per month in Seoul versus $1,426 in Sacheon – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,426 in Sacheon versus $1,783 in Seoul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sacheon but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Sacheon 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 Sacheon 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 Sacheon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.