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: $1,787 in Seoul versus $1,395 in Seogwipo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,884 in Seoul versus $2,189 in Seogwipo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,981 in Seoul versus $2,983 in Seogwipo.

Living in Seoul is roughly 28% more expensive than Seogwipo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 34% above, Seogwipo 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.04 ₩13.7K

$7.04 ₩10.6K

28.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.1 ₩81.7K

$37.30 ₩56.4K

44.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 ₩9,665

$5.59 ₩8,443

14.49%

Cappuccino

$3.80 ₩5,742

$3.77 ₩5,703

0.80%

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

$1.67 ₩2,528

$1.58 ₩2,382

5.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,193

$0.80 ₩1,208

-1.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 ₩5,654

$3.24 ₩4,891

15.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 ₩8,819

$4.88 ₩7,373

19.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₩3,258

$2.21 ₩3,344

-2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 ₩5,168

$3.09 ₩4,668

10.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 ₩4,854

$3.03 ₩4,578

5.94%

Eggs

$3.09 ₩4,672

$2.91 ₩4,397

6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.48 ₩21.9K

$10.58 ₩16.0K

36.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 ₩16.2K

$8.11 ₩12.3K

32.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.63 ₩52.3K

$27.65 ₩41.8K

25.24%

Apples (1kg)

$7.90 ₩11.9K

$7.64 ₩11.5K

3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.50 ₩5,289

$3.09 ₩4,676

13.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.57 ₩8,422

$5.40 ₩8,157

3.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.55 ₩9,903

$5.42 ₩8,184

20.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 ₩5,758

$3.82 ₩5,772

-0.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,311

$2.94 ₩4,448

-3.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 ₩3,772

$2.19 ₩3,302

14.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₩2,021

$1.17 ₩1,765

14.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₩5,041

$3.29 ₩4,974

1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ₩28.8K

$16.59 ₩25.1K

15.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 ₩3,718

$1.87 ₩2,823

31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₩4,996

$3.25 ₩4,905

1.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,683

$1.08 ₩1,626

2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.09 ₩69.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₩5,392

$3.43 ₩5,187

4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩798

$0.57 ₩868

-7.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 ₩13.6K

$8.88 ₩13.4K

1.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₩1,859

$1.21 ₩1,827

1.65%

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

$28.3K ₩42.7M

$27.7K ₩41.8M

2.11%

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

$25.4K ₩38.3M

$24.7K ₩37.3M

2.62%

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

$163 ₩246.4K

$160 ₩242.3K

1.70%

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

$34.37 ₩51.9K

$35.26 ₩53.3K

-2.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.58 ₩34.1K

$22.52 ₩34.0K

0.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 ₩87.6K

$48.36 ₩73.1K

19.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.54 ₩35.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 ₩16.8K

$11.08 ₩16.7K

0.18%

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

$421 ₩635.7K

$420 ₩634.6K

0.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K ₩35.3M

$23.3K ₩35.1M

0.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 ₩89.7K

$58.1 ₩87.8K

2.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.07 ₩72.6K

$48.03 ₩72.6K

0.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 ₩122.6K

$78.5 ₩118.6K

3.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩173.1K

$116 ₩175.7K

-1.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 ₩1.4M

$462 ₩698.2K

105.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 ₩907.6K

$376 ₩568.8K

59.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,556 ₩3.9M

$1,056 ₩1.6M

141.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 ₩2.0M

$781 ₩1.2M

69.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.5K ₩34.1M

$8,553 ₩12.9M

163.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,920 ₩15.0M

$5,419 ₩8.2M

83.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,999 ₩4.5M

$1,012 ₩1.5M

196.48%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Seogwipo: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Seoul and $462 in Seogwipo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 196% 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: $54.0 in Seoul vs $37.00 in Seogwipo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $498 vs $427 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 28% in total monthly costs ($1,787 vs $1,395 including rent). Seogwipo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Seoul pays 196% 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: $948 in Seoul versus $462 in Seogwipo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $421 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 $37.00 versus $54.0 in Seoul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,395 in Seogwipo versus $1,787 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 28% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.