Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Songdo-dong Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Songdo-dong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,742 per month in Seoul vs $1,414 in Songdo-dong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Seoul vs $2,243 in Songdo-dong, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,043 per month in Seoul vs $3,072 in Songdo-dong, rent included.

Seoul costs about 23% more than Songdo-dong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Songdo-dong sit above the global median – Seoul by 30%, Songdo-dong by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.0K

$7.20 ₩10.9K

19.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩82.2K

$55.2 ₩83.6K

-1.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,550

$6.38 ₩9,670

-1.25%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,886

$3.59 ₩5,441

8.08%

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

$1.72 ₩2,613

$1.07 ₩1,626

60.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,296

$0.71 ₩1,079

21.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,448

$3.00 ₩4,548

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩8,998

$5.91 ₩8,951

0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,371

$2.14 ₩3,237

3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,228

$3.33 ₩5,053

3.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,749

$3.21 ₩4,863

-2.49%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,830

$3.15 ₩4,778

1.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.5K

$14.54 ₩22.0K

-2.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.6K

$8.23 ₩12.5K

33.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩52.6K

$34.73 ₩52.6K

0.03%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.1K

$3.69 ₩5,593

115.99%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,247

$3.02 ₩4,576

14.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,229

$5.67 ₩8,595

-4.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.1K

$6.44 ₩9,755

3.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,763

$2.55 ₩3,862

49.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,465

$2.60 ₩3,934

13.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩3,978

$2.51 ₩3,801

4.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,924

$1.19 ₩1,805

6.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,893

$3.25 ₩4,917

-0.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.5K

$13.11 ₩19.9K

48.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,668

$2.18 ₩3,309

11.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,921

$3.38 ₩5,119

-3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,691

$0.84 ₩1,271

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩72.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,396

$3.63 ₩5,493

-1.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩818

$0.53 ₩801

1.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.2K

$8.60 ₩13.0K

1.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,889

$1.21 ₩1,826

3.31%

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

$28.3K ₩42.8M

$27.9K ₩42.2M

1.40%

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

$25.3K ₩38.4M

$25.1K ₩38.0M

0.97%

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

$161 ₩243.4K

$162 ₩245.4K

-0.83%

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

$34.38 ₩52.1K

$35.26 ₩53.4K

-2.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.0K

$22.56 ₩34.2K

-0.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩86.4K

$73.6 ₩111.5K

-22.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.2K

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.0K

$10.88 ₩16.5K

2.85%

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

$412 ₩624.5K

$367 ₩556.2K

12.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩35.8M

$23.8K ₩36.1M

-0.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩88.9K

$60.0 ₩90.9K

-2.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩70.9K

$48.09 ₩72.9K

-2.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩118.6K

$37.28 ₩56.5K

110.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩173.0K

$114 ₩172.8K

0.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.4M

$449 ₩680.7K

112.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩914.5K

$376 ₩569.5K

60.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩3.9M

$1,087 ₩1.6M

137.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$770 ₩1.2M

69.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$3,027 ₩4.6M

2.24%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Songdo-dong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Seoul versus $449 in Songdo-dong. 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 2% higher in Seoul, 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 $54.0 in Seoul versus $55.0 in Songdo-dong. Groceries tell a different story – $500 in Seoul vs $442 in Songdo-dong – so Songdo-dong wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Songdo-dong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 23% more than Songdo-dong, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,613 per month in Seoul and $2,122 in Songdo-dong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,742 in Seoul and $1,414 in Songdo-dong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $412 per month in Seoul and $367 in Songdo-dong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Songdo-dong, where all-in costs run around $1,414, than in Seoul at $1,742. In Songdo-dong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Songdo-dong – 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 Songdo-dong. 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.