Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Subic Bay Freeport Zone

For one person, living is cheaper in Subic Bay Freeport Zone: $663 a month against $1,794 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 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
32

Cost of Living Index in Subic Bay Freeport Zone
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Subic Bay Freeport Zone Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Subic Bay Freeport Zone

🇵🇭 Philippines

$663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Subic Bay Freeport Zone

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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $663 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Subic Bay Freeport Zone $663

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $1,008 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Subic Bay Freeport Zone $1,008

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $1,354 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

Seoul $3,931
Subic Bay Freeport Zone $1,354

Seoul costs about 171% more than Subic Bay Freeport Zone, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Subic Bay Freeport Zone is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$4.65 ₱293

89.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$14.46 ₱911

372.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$5.06 ₱318

49.01%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$2.29 ₱144

84.72%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$1.57 ₱98.9

3.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.33 ₱21.09

124.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$1.47 ₱92.7

147.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$2.02 ₱127

204.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.60 ₱101

25.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.21 ₱75.9

158.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$0.84 ₱52.7

414.29%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.88 ₱118

92.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$4.75 ₱299

275.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.79 ₱302

118.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$8.13 ₱512

217.34%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.31 ₱146

231.60%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.77 ₱112

90.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.30 ₱145

152.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.22 ₱76.8

425.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$2.05 ₱129

82.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$1.95 ₱123

30.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$0.85 ₱53.8

234.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.51 ₱32.17

117.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$2.97 ₱187

12.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$7.42 ₱467

149.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$0.92 ₱58.1

160.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$1.92 ₱121

75.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.20 ₱12.57

470.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$10.61 ₱668

334.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$0.79 ₱49.93

341.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.23 ₱14.52

173.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$1.90 ₱120

366.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$1.03 ₱64.9

46.60%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$18.2K ₱1.1M

60.42%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

45.92%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$138 ₱8,657

58.20%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$14.33 ₱902

145.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$16.88 ₱1,062

26.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$29.59 ₱1,863

96.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$4.67 ₱294

244.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$5.16 ₱325

119.19%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$116 ₱7,296

1580.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$7,216 ₱454.3K

216.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$35.47 ₱2,233

60.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$20.88 ₱1,315

59.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$64.0 ₱4,029

11.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$55.6 ₱3,501

48.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$129 ₱8,141

596.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$80.7 ₱5,082

657.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$330 ₱20.8K

665.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$188 ₱11.9K

572.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,555 ₱160.9K

1051.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$916 ₱57.6K

1199.94%

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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Subic Bay Freeport Zone

$81 12.2% 86.8% $531

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Subic Bay Freeport Zone

$182 27.5% 61.8% $295

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Subic Bay Freeport Zone

$169 25.5% 38.4% $105

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Subic Bay Freeport Zone

$99 14.9% 46.2% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Subic Bay Freeport Zone

$79 12% 28% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Subic Bay Freeport Zone

$40 6% 50.5% $41

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Subic Bay Freeport Zone

$13 2% 76.7% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $129 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. 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 $14.00 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $182 – making Subic Bay Freeport Zone the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Subic Bay Freeport Zone

🕒 Local time

23:03 11:03 PM

22:03 10:03 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

221,178

💱 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 18, 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 18, 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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Between locations

Seoul Subic Bay Freeport Zone 2,610 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Subic Bay Freeport Zone

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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 171% more than Subic Bay Freeport Zone, 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 $994 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 335% less in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,948 per month in Seoul and $116 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone, where all-in costs run around $663, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Subic Bay Freeport Zone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Subic Bay Freeport Zone – 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone. 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.