Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Surigao

For one person, living is cheaper in Surigao: $736 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 Surigao
Learn more

Surigao Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Surigao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$736

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Surigao

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

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $736 in Surigao, rent included.

Seoul $1,794
Surigao $736

A couple spends around $2,863 per month in Seoul vs $1,124 in Surigao, rent included.

Seoul $2,863
Surigao $1,124

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Seoul vs $1,512 in Surigao, rent included.

Seoul $3,931
Surigao $1,512

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

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Surigao is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 ₩11.7K

$3.98 ₱251

121.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 ₩90.9K

$17.81 ₱1,122

283.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$2.87 ₱181

162.72%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩5,624

$1.99 ₱125

112.56%

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

$1.63 ₩2,167

$0.73 ₱45.85

123.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩985

$0.32 ₱19.84

131.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,843

$1.26 ₱79.4

188.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 ₩8,175

$2.13 ₱134

188.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩2,679

$1.62 ₱102

24.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$0.98 ₱61.6

219.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 ₩5,744

$0.99 ₱62.0

336.36%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,794

$1.94 ₱122

86.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.83 ₩23.7K

$5.75 ₱362

210.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩13.9K

$4.14 ₱261

152.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.80 ₩34.3K

$6.88 ₱433

275.00%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.2K

$2.07 ₱131

270.05%

Banana (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,499

$1.58 ₱99.2

113.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 ₩7,723

$2.56 ₱161

126.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩8,520

$1.17 ₱73.6

447.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩4,983

$1.95 ₱123

92.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,375

$1.76 ₱111

44.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 ₩3,782

$0.82 ₱51.5

246.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.60 ₱37.75

85.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,455

$2.97 ₱187

12.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$6.78 ₱427

172.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,185

$1.05 ₱66.3

128.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,480

$1.72 ₱108

95.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,521

$0.26 ₱16.48

338.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.11 ₩61.3K

$11.30 ₱712

308.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ₩4,643

$0.66 ₱41.51

428.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₩840

$0.23 ₱14.66

173.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$1.87 ₱118

373.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₩2,005

$1.32 ₱83.0

14.39%

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

$29.3K ₩38.9M

$18.7K ₱1.2M

56.50%

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

$28.2K ₩37.5M

$18.0K ₱1.1M

56.90%

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

$218 ₩289.2K

$124 ₱7,799

75.60%

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

$35.15 ₩46.7K

$15.97 ₱1,006

120.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 ₩28.3K

$34.80 ₱2,191

-38.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩77.2K

$35.92 ₱2,262

61.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 ₩21.4K

$5.18 ₱326

210.81%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩15.0K

$4.96 ₱313

128.02%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$144 ₱9,095

1248.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.4M

$6,892 ₱433.9K

231.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₩75.8K

$36.99 ₱2,329

54.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 ₩44.4K

$20.93 ₱1,318

59.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₩95.0K

$69.6 ₱4,384

2.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩109.7K

$49.50 ₱3,116

66.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ₩1.2M

$243 ₱15.3K

271.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₩813.5K

$168 ₱10.6K

263.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 ₩3.4M

$461 ₱29.0K

447.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₩1.7M

$363 ₱22.9K

248.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K ₩39.1M

$2,434 ₱153.3K

1108.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₩15.8M

$1,108 ₱69.8K

974.25%

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 Surigao: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$612 34.1%

Surigao

$168 22.9% 72.5% $444

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$477 26.6%

Surigao

$174 23.7% 63.4% $303

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$274 15.3%

Surigao

$175 23.7% 36.2% $99

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Surigao

$79 10.7% 57% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Surigao

$80 10.8% 27.6% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$81 4.5%

Surigao

$46 6.2% 43.2% $35

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.2%

Surigao

$14 1.9% 75.3% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Seoul versus $243 in Surigao. 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 $18.00 in Surigao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $477 vs $174 – making Surigao the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇵🇭 Surigao

🕒 Local time

02:36 2:36 AM

01:36 1:36 AM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

171,107

💱 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 Surigao 3,090 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Surigao

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 Surigao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 144% more than Surigao, 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 $1,104 in Surigao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 308% less in Surigao. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,948 per month in Seoul and $144 in Surigao. 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 Surigao, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Surigao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surigao – 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 Surigao. 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.