Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Subang Jaya

For one person, living is cheaper in Subang Jaya: $951 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 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
46

Cost of Living Index in Subang Jaya
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Subang Jaya Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Subang Jaya

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$951

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Subang Jaya

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

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $951 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Subang Jaya $951

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $1,448 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Subang Jaya $1,448

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $1,945 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

Seoul $3,931
Subang Jaya $1,945

Seoul costs about 89% more than Subang Jaya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Subang Jaya is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$3.58 MYR 14.61

145.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$19.71 MYR 80.4

246.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$4.56 MYR 18.60

65.35%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$3.03 MYR 12.37

39.60%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.77 MYR 3.14

111.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.40 MYR 1.63

85.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$4.11 MYR 16.76

-11.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$4.53 MYR 18.47

35.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.85 MYR 7.55

8.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.04 MYR 4.26

200.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$1.68 MYR 6.85

157.14%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$2.24 MYR 9.15

61.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$13.42 MYR 54.7

32.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.54 MYR 18.53

130.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$8.45 MYR 34.46

205.33%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$3.06 MYR 12.48

150.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.78 MYR 7.28

89.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.27 MYR 9.24

155.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.40 MYR 5.70

357.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.11 MYR 4.52

237.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$1.12 MYR 4.58

126.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$1.09 MYR 4.46

160.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.54 MYR 2.19

105.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$4.42 MYR 18.05

-24.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$18.72 MYR 76.4

-1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$3.01 MYR 12.28

-20.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$4.90 MYR 20.00

-31.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.84 MYR 3.42

35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$12.39 MYR 50.6

272.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$1.21 MYR 4.92

188.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.40 MYR 1.64

57.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$4.77 MYR 19.44

85.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$0.88 MYR 3.57

71.59%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$42.4K MYR 172.8K

-30.90%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$34.9K MYR 142.3K

-19.13%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$36.42 MYR 149

497.25%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$9.61 MYR 39.20

265.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$29.25 MYR 119

-27.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$24.81 MYR 101

134.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$2.41 MYR 9.85

568.05%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$5.04 MYR 20.56

124.40%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$296 MYR 1,209

557.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$10.7K MYR 43.7K

113.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$59.5 MYR 243

-4.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$34.85 MYR 142

-4.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$86.0 MYR 351

-16.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$70.6 MYR 288

16.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$566 MYR 2,308

59.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$342 MYR 1,394

79.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$714 MYR 2,914

253.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$620 MYR 2,529

104.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,360 MYR 9,629

1146.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$1,857 MYR 7,574

541.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ₩4.9M

$918 MYR 3,747

297.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.04

0.99%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Subang Jaya: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Subang Jaya

$342 36% 44.1% $270

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Subang Jaya

$254 26.7% 46.8% $223

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Subang Jaya

$75 7.9% 72.5% $199

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Subang Jaya

$113 11.9% 38.5% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Subang Jaya

$113 11.9% 2.7% $3

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Subang Jaya

$35 3.7% 56.8% $46

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Subang Jaya

$19 2% 66.9% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $566 in Subang Jaya. 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 297% 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 $68.0 in Seoul versus $20.00 in Subang Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $254 – making Subang Jaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇲🇾 Subang Jaya

🕒 Local time

17:48 5:48 PM

16:48 4:48 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

902,086

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Seoul Subang Jaya 4,630 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Subang Jaya

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 Subang Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 89% more than Subang Jaya, 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 $1,426 in Subang Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 272% less in Subang Jaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,948 per month in Seoul and $296 in Subang Jaya. 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 Subang Jaya, where all-in costs run around $951, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Subang Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Subang Jaya – 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 Subang Jaya. 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.