Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Sorsogon City

For one person, living is cheaper in Sorsogon City: $735 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Sorsogon City
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Sorsogon City Living Index

Jump to prices

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Sorsogon City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$735

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Sorsogon City

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

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $735 in Sorsogon City, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Sorsogon City $735

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $1,140 in Sorsogon City, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Sorsogon City $1,140

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $1,545 in Sorsogon City, rent included.

Seoul $3,931
Sorsogon City $1,545

Seoul costs about 144% more than Sorsogon City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Sorsogon City is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$3.93 ₱247

123.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$16.79 ₱1,057

307.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$2.72 ₱171

177.21%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.28 ₱143

85.53%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.66 ₱41.37

146.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.33 ₱21.07

124.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$1.21 ₱75.9

200.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$1.99 ₱125

209.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.67 ₱105

20.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.09 ₱68.8

187.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$0.95 ₱60.0

354.74%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.87 ₱118

93.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$5.12 ₱323

248.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.07 ₱257

156.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$7.24 ₱456

256.35%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.54 ₱160

201.57%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.79 ₱113

88.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.48 ₱156

134.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.13 ₱71.4

467.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$2.26 ₱143

65.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$2.15 ₱135

18.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$0.91 ₱57.5

212.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.54 ₱34.05

105.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$3.24 ₱204

3.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$7.42 ₱467

149.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$0.99 ₱62.1

142.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$1.95 ₱123

72.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.25 ₱15.48

356.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$9.63 ₱606

378.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$0.84 ₱52.8

315.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.19 ₱11.96

231.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$2.17 ₱137

308.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$1.04 ₱65.6

45.19%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$20.0K ₱1.3M

46.01%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$19.8K ₱1.2M

42.67%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$138 ₱8,683

57.73%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$14.19 ₱894

147.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$24.78 ₱1,560

-14.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$32.25 ₱2,031

80.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$5.13 ₱323

213.84%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$5.86 ₱369

93.00%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$128 ₱8,088

1416.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$7,096 ₱446.8K

222.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$30.34 ₱1,910

88.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$20.27 ₱1,277

64.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$72.7 ₱4,576

-1.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$60.9 ₱3,837

35.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$228 ₱14.4K

295.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$157 ₱9,913

288.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$526 ₱33.1K

380.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$382 ₱24.0K

231.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,397 ₱150.9K

1127.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$1,110 ₱69.9K

971.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

6.79

-39.91%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Sorsogon City: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Sorsogon City

$157 21.4% 74.3% $454

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Sorsogon City

$180 24.5% 62.2% $297

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Sorsogon City

$177 24.1% 35.4% $97

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Sorsogon City

$81 11% 56% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Sorsogon City

$83 11.3% 24.6% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Sorsogon City

$44 6% 45.5% $37

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Sorsogon City

$12 1.7% 78.4% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $228 in Sorsogon City. 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 $68.0 in Seoul versus $17.00 in Sorsogon City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $180 – making Sorsogon City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Sorsogon City

🕒 Local time

02:09 2:09 AM

01:09 1:09 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

168,110

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Seoul Sorsogon City 2,750 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Sorsogon City

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 Sorsogon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 144% more than Sorsogon City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,692 per month in Seoul and $1,102 in Sorsogon City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 379% less in Sorsogon City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,948 per month in Seoul and $128 in Sorsogon City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sorsogon City, where all-in costs run around $735, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Sorsogon City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sorsogon City – 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 Sorsogon City. 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.