Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Seogwipo Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Seogwipo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,770 in Seoul versus $1,394 in Seogwipo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,895 in Seoul versus $2,221 in Seogwipo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,020 in Seoul versus $3,047 in Seogwipo.

Living in Seoul is roughly 27% more expensive than in Seogwipo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 33% above, Seogwipo 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 ₩12.4K

$7.07 ₩10.2K

22.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 ₩80.5K

$36.27 ₩52.2K

54.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 ₩9,324

$5.31 ₩7,644

22.03%

Cappuccino

$3.91 ₩5,621

$3.93 ₩5,650

-0.51%

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

$1.73 ₩2,485

$1.58 ₩2,268

9.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₩1,220

$0.81 ₩1,160

4.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,338

$3.25 ₩4,679

14.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 ₩8,206

$4.98 ₩7,164

14.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,221

$2.17 ₩3,122

3.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 ₩5,020

$2.99 ₩4,299

16.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,441

$3.12 ₩4,480

-0.96%

Eggs

$3.11 ₩4,477

$2.98 ₩4,287

4.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 ₩20.5K

$10.43 ₩15.0K

36.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 ₩15.5K

$8.46 ₩12.2K

27.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.05 ₩49.0K

$27.52 ₩39.6K

23.73%

Apples (1kg)

$7.77 ₩11.2K

$7.78 ₩11.2K

-0.13%

Banana (1kg)

$3.45 ₩4,967

$3.23 ₩4,650

6.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 ₩8,097

$5.47 ₩7,874

2.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.66 ₩9,577

$5.20 ₩7,486

28.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 ₩5,515

$3.81 ₩5,479

0.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,221

$2.96 ₩4,264

-1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 ₩3,603

$2.19 ₩3,145

14.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,894

$1.17 ₩1,678

12.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,738

$3.24 ₩4,664

1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.33 ₩24.9K

$16.99 ₩24.4K

2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₩3,356

$1.87 ₩2,692

24.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₩4,777

$3.23 ₩4,646

2.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,544

$1.10 ₩1,589

-2.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.68 ₩67.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₩5,187

$3.55 ₩5,111

1.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩756

$0.53 ₩766

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩12.7K

$8.67 ₩12.5K

2.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₩1,805

$1.21 ₩1,737

4.13%

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

$27.5K ₩39.6M

$27.7K ₩39.8M

-0.43%

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

$25.5K ₩36.7M

$25.4K ₩36.5M

0.67%

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

$165 ₩236.9K

$161 ₩231.2K

2.44%

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

$34.26 ₩49.3K

$35.09 ₩50.5K

-2.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.53 ₩32.4K

$21.96 ₩31.6K

2.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩83.6K

$47.87 ₩68.8K

21.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.16 ₩33.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 ₩16.1K

$11.10 ₩16.0K

0.90%

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

$417 ₩600.1K

$420 ₩604.2K

-0.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₩33.5M

$23.1K ₩33.3M

0.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ₩84.2K

$59.1 ₩85.0K

-0.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.59 ₩68.4K

$47.59 ₩68.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 ₩112.8K

$79.8 ₩114.8K

-1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩167.5K

$117 ₩167.7K

-0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 ₩1.4M

$449 ₩645.1K

114.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 ₩856.0K

$372 ₩534.7K

60.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,556 ₩3.7M

$1,066 ₩1.5M

139.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 ₩1.9M

$771 ₩1.1M

68.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.0K ₩38.8M

$7,316 ₩10.5M

268.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K ₩15.2M

$5,705 ₩8.2M

85.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,214 ₩4.6M

$1,012 ₩1.5M

217.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Seoul: July 26, 2026

Last update for Seogwipo: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $964 in Seoul and $449 in Seogwipo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 218% 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: $56.0 in Seoul vs $36.00 in Seogwipo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $493 vs $428 per month, with Seogwipo 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 Seogwipo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul and Seogwipo differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,770 vs $1,394 including rent). Seogwipo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 218% 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: $964 in Seoul versus $449 in Seogwipo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $417 in Seoul versus $420 in Seogwipo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Seogwipo – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $56.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,394 in Seogwipo versus $1,770 in Seoul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seogwipo but tight or insufficient in Seoul. The gap between the two cities makes Seogwipo 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 Seogwipo 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 Seogwipo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.