Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Singapore

For one person, living is cheaper in Seoul: $1,822 a month against $3,454 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $19,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
168

Cost of Living Index in Singapore
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Singapore Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,822

/mo nomad

Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,454

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Singapore

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

A single person spends $1,822 per month in Seoul vs $3,454 in Singapore, rent included.

Seoul $1,822
Singapore $3,454

A couple spends around $2,847 per month in Seoul vs $5,224 in Singapore, rent included.

Seoul $2,847
Singapore $5,224

A family of three spends $3,872 per month in Seoul vs $6,994 in Singapore, rent included.

Seoul $3,872
Singapore $6,994

Seoul is about 47% cheaper than Singapore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Seoul and Singapore sit above the global median – Seoul by 36%, Singapore by 158%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.2K

$11.53 SGD 14.77

-21.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 ₩90.0K

$71.2 SGD 91.2

-5.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₩9,964

$8.76 SGD 11.22

-15.30%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩5,482

$5.25 SGD 6.73

-22.29%

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

$1.60 ₩2,146

$1.83 SGD 2.34

-12.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,081

$1.25 SGD 1.60

-36.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩4,898

$8.42 SGD 10.79

-56.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩7,974

$10.02 SGD 12.83

-40.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₩2,748

$2.94 SGD 3.76

-30.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₩4,139

$2.47 SGD 3.16

24.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,659

$2.71 SGD 3.47

55.35%

Eggs

$3.57 ₩4,795

$3.73 SGD 4.77

-4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.95 ₩24.1K

$21.54 SGD 27.58

-16.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 ₩14.3K

$9.52 SGD 12.20

11.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.44 ₩35.5K

$25.98 SGD 33.27

1.77%

Apples (1kg)

$7.42 ₩9,969

$4.48 SGD 5.74

65.62%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,743

$3.11 SGD 3.99

13.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 ₩7,884

$4.62 SGD 5.92

27.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 ₩8,554

$2.23 SGD 2.86

185.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,040

$2.50 SGD 3.20

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ₩3,345

$2.38 SGD 3.05

4.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 ₩3,920

$1.78 SGD 2.28

64.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,545

$1.51 SGD 1.93

-23.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,418

$14.18 SGD 18.16

-76.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.8K

$23.79 SGD 30.47

-22.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,064

$4.51 SGD 5.78

-49.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₩4,408

$4.57 SGD 5.86

-28.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,529

$1.58 SGD 2.03

-27.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.47 ₩61.1K

$96.4 SGD 123

-52.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩4,674

$3.63 SGD 4.65

-4.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩805

$0.80 SGD 1.02

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.70 ₩11.7K

$16.18 SGD 20.72

-46.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,008

$2.51 SGD 3.21

-40.24%

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

$29.1K ₩39.1M

$155.9K SGD 199.6K

-81.32%

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

$28.2K ₩37.9M

$145.8K SGD 186.7K

-80.66%

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

$209 ₩280.5K

$175 SGD 224

19.34%

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

$35.13 ₩47.2K

$12.45 SGD 15.94

182.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.18 ₩28.4K

$26.64 SGD 34.11

-20.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₩77.0K

$112 SGD 143

-48.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 ₩21.3K

$12.07 SGD 15.46

31.65%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 ₩15.2K

$11.60 SGD 14.85

-2.33%

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

$1,902 ₩2.6M

$1,463 SGD 1,874

29.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K ₩30.2M

$28.4K SGD 36.3K

-20.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₩79.1K

$81.5 SGD 104

-27.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.12 ₩43.1K

$50.6 SGD 64.8

-36.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩94.2K

$112 SGD 143

-37.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩110.8K

$130 SGD 166

-36.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ₩1.2M

$2,916 SGD 3,734

-69.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩837.5K

$2,128 SGD 2,725

-70.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 ₩3.3M

$5,654 SGD 7,241

-55.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ₩1.7M

$3,968 SGD 5,081

-67.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.8K ₩40.1M

$23.6K SGD 30.2K

26.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.8K ₩15.9M

$16.8K SGD 21.5K

-29.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,649 ₩4.9M

$4,369 SGD 5,594

-16.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

2.44

67.21%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Last update for Singapore: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.7%

Singapore

$2.1K 61.4% 241% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$479 26.7%

Singapore

$457 13.2% 4.5% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$265 14.8%

Singapore

$214 6.2% 19.3% $51

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Singapore

$256 7.4% 39.3% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Singapore

$168 4.9% 53.3% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Singapore

$135 3.9% 68.4% $55

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Singapore

$110 3.2% 95.2% $54

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $885 in Seoul versus $2,916 in Singapore. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Singapore, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Seoul versus $71.0 in Singapore. Groceries tell a different story – $479 in Seoul vs $457 in Singapore – so Singapore wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇸🇬 Singapore

🕒 Local time

11:37 11:37 AM

10:37 10:37 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

5,535,002 Capital

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Singapore Dollar SGD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR

1 SGD = 0.781 USD

1 SGD = 0.696 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,343 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.696 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Seoul Singapore 4,680 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Singapore

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 Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Singapore costs about 90% more than Seoul, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,733 per month in Seoul and $5,180 in Singapore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seoul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 112% less in Seoul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,902 per month in Seoul and $1,463 in Singapore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,822, than in Singapore at $3,454. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Seoul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Seoul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Singapore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.