Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Seminyak, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Seminyak, Bali: $1,574 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. The total is higher in Seoul despite lower rent and utilities.

Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,822
/mo nomad
Seminyak, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,574
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Seminyak, Bali

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

A single person spends $1,822 per month in Seoul vs $1,574 in Seminyak, Bali, rent included.

  • Seoul $1,822
  • Seminyak, Bali $1,574

A couple spends around $2,847 per month in Seoul vs $2,732 in Seminyak, Bali, rent included.

  • Seoul $2,847
  • Seminyak, Bali $2,732

A family of three spends $3,872 per month in Seoul vs $3,889 in Seminyak, Bali, rent included.

  • Seoul $3,872
  • Seminyak, Bali $3,889

Seoul costs about 16% more than Seminyak, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seoul and Seminyak, Bali sit above the global median – Seoul by 36%, Seminyak, Bali by 17%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seoul
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.10 ₩12.2K
$3.94 Rp 70.4K
130.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.0 ₩89.8K
$41.86 Rp 748.3K
60.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.42 ₩9,941
$6.63 Rp 118.5K
11.92%
Cappuccino
$4.08 ₩5,470
$3.07 Rp 54.9K
32.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ₩2,141
$2.03 Rp 36.2K
-21.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 ₩1,078
$0.97 Rp 17.4K
-17.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.65 ₩4,886
$3.08 Rp 55.0K
18.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.94 ₩7,956
$5.14 Rp 91.8K
15.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seoul
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.05 ₩2,742
$1.62 Rp 28.9K
26.54%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₩4,130
$2.31 Rp 41.3K
33.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.21 ₩5,646
$1.21 Rp 21.7K
247.93%
Eggs
$3.57 ₩4,784
$2.28 Rp 40.7K
56.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.95 ₩24.1K
$18.45 Rp 329.9K
-2.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.64 ₩14.3K
$4.01 Rp 71.7K
165.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.44 ₩35.4K
$12.50 Rp 223.5K
111.52%
Apples (1kg)
$7.42 ₩9,946
$3.82 Rp 68.3K
94.24%
Banana (1kg)
$3.53 ₩4,732
$1.60 Rp 28.5K
120.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.87 ₩7,866
$2.39 Rp 42.7K
145.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.37 ₩8,534
$2.07 Rp 37.1K
207.73%
Potato (1kg)
$3.75 ₩5,028
$1.91 Rp 34.2K
96.34%
Onion (1kg)
$2.49 ₩3,337
$2.52 Rp 45.0K
-1.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.92 ₩3,911
$1.03 Rp 18.4K
183.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 ₩1,542
$0.55 Rp 9,900
109.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.29 ₩4,408
$2.27 Rp 40.7K
44.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.49 ₩24.8K
$23.82 Rp 425.8K
-22.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.28 ₩3,057
$2.47 Rp 44.2K
-7.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28 ₩4,398
$3.17 Rp 56.7K
3.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Seoul
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.14 ₩1,526
$0.30 Rp 5,391
280.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.47 ₩60.9K
$9.20 Rp 164.5K
394.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.48 ₩4,663
$0.55 Rp 9,837
532.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 ₩803
$0.52 Rp 9,348
15.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.70 ₩11.7K
$2.65 Rp 47.4K
228.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 ₩2,004
$0.95 Rp 17.0K
57.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K ₩39.0M
$27.8K Rp 496.1M
4.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K ₩37.8M
$36.4K Rp 651.2M
-22.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$209 ₩279.9K
$85.0 Rp 1.5M
145.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.13 ₩47.1K
$7.01 Rp 125.3K
401.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.18 ₩28.4K
$19.32 Rp 345.3K
9.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.3 ₩76.8K
$61.2 Rp 1.1M
-6.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.89 ₩21.3K
$20.85 Rp 372.8K
-23.79%
Cinema Ticket
$11.33 ₩15.2K
$5.01 Rp 89.5K
126.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seoul
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,902 ₩2.5M
$528 Rp 9.4M
260.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.5K ₩30.2M
$6,307 Rp 112.7M
257.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 ₩78.9K
$47.72 Rp 852.9K
23.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.12 ₩43.0K
$36.32 Rp 649.2K
-11.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.1 ₩94.0K
$83.1 Rp 1.5M
-15.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.5 ₩110.5K
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
-0.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seoul
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$885 ₩1.2M
$1,427 Rp 25.5M
-37.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$624 ₩835.5K
$862 Rp 15.4M
-27.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,494 ₩3.3M
$4,540 Rp 81.2M
-45.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,275 ₩1.7M
$2,181 Rp 39.0M
-41.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$29.8K ₩40.0M
$3,573 Rp 63.9M
735.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.8K ₩15.9M
$2,861 Rp 51.1M
314.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seoul
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,649 ₩4.9M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
13.78
-70.39%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Last update for Seminyak, Bali: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seoul
$624
Seminyak, Bali
$862 38.2% $238
Groceries & Markets
Seoul
$479
Seminyak, Bali
$303 36.8% $176
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
$265
Seminyak, Bali
$111 58% $154
Eating Out
Seoul
$184
Seminyak, Bali
$126 31.5% $58
Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
$110
Seminyak, Bali
$113 2.7% $2.9
Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
$80
Seminyak, Bali
$71 11% $8.8
Getting Around
Seoul
$57
Seminyak, Bali
$14 76% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $885 in Seoul versus $1,427 in Seminyak, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Seoul versus $42.00 in Seminyak, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $479 vs $303 – making Seminyak, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Seoul
🇮🇩 Seminyak, Bali
🕒 Local time
20:49 8:49 PM
19:49 7:49 PM
1 h behind Seoul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,509,458 Capital
5,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,502 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.66 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,030 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seoul Seminyak, Bali 5,290 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Seoul
  • Seminyak, Bali

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 Seminyak, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Seminyak, Bali cheaper than Seoul?
Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,733 per month in Seoul and $2,361 in Seminyak, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Seminyak, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 394% less in Seminyak, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,902 per month in Seoul and $528 in Seminyak, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Seoul or in Seminyak, Bali?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Seminyak, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,574, than in Seoul at $1,822. In Seminyak, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Seoul or Seminyak, Bali more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Seminyak, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Seoul or Seminyak, Bali?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Seminyak, Bali. 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.

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