Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Suva

For one person, living is cheaper in Suva: $927 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Suva
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Suva Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,822

/mo nomad

Suva

🇫🇯 Fiji

$927

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Suva

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

A single person spends $1,822 per month in Seoul vs $927 in Suva, rent included.

Seoul $1,822
Suva $927

A couple spends around $2,847 per month in Seoul vs $1,681 in Suva, rent included.

Seoul $2,847
Suva $1,681

A family of three spends $3,872 per month in Seoul vs $2,435 in Suva, rent included.

Seoul $3,872
Suva $2,435

Seoul costs about 97% more than Suva, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 36% above the global median, while Suva is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.2K

$5.72 FJD 12.81

59.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 ₩90.0K

$44.13 FJD 98.8

51.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₩9,964

$7.76 FJD 17.37

-4.38%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩5,482

$2.91 FJD 6.52

40.21%

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

$1.60 ₩2,146

$1.50 FJD 3.36

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,081

$0.73 FJD 1.64

9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩4,898

$3.67 FJD 8.21

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩7,974

$4.33 FJD 9.70

37.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₩2,748

$1.28 FJD 2.86

60.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₩4,139

$0.56 FJD 1.26

450.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,659

$1.13 FJD 2.52

272.57%

Eggs

$3.57 ₩4,795

$3.39 FJD 7.60

5.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.95 ₩24.1K

$10.04 FJD 22.48

78.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 ₩14.3K

$6.06 FJD 13.57

75.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.44 ₩35.5K

$7.82 FJD 17.50

238.11%

Apples (1kg)

$7.42 ₩9,969

$2.47 FJD 5.54

200.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,743

$2.42 FJD 5.43

45.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 ₩7,884

$3.48 FJD 7.79

68.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 ₩8,554

$3.12 FJD 6.99

104.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,040

$1.22 FJD 2.72

207.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ₩3,345

$1.07 FJD 2.39

132.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 ₩3,920

$1.22 FJD 2.73

139.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,545

$0.73 FJD 1.64

57.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,418

$9.66 FJD 21.62

-65.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.8K

$7.33 FJD 16.41

152.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,064

$2.07 FJD 4.64

10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₩4,408

$3.43 FJD 7.69

-4.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,529

$0.94 FJD 2.11

21.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.47 ₩61.1K

$22.37 FJD 50.1

103.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩4,674

$0.87 FJD 1.94

300.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩805

$0.42 FJD 0.94

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.70 ₩11.7K

$8.95 FJD 20.04

-2.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,008

$1.46 FJD 3.26

2.74%

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

$29.1K ₩39.1M

$24.4K FJD 54.6K

19.30%

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

$28.2K ₩37.9M

$25.6K FJD 57.4K

10.06%

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

$209 ₩280.5K

$46.38 FJD 104

350.34%

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

$35.13 ₩47.2K

$12.79 FJD 28.65

174.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.18 ₩28.4K

$23.98 FJD 53.7

-11.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₩77.0K

$36.85 FJD 82.5

55.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 ₩21.3K

$11.30 FJD 25.29

40.62%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 ₩15.2K

$3.43 FJD 7.68

230.32%

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

$1,902 ₩2.6M

$228 FJD 509

736.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K ₩30.2M

$13.4K FJD 30.0K

68.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₩79.1K

$33.19 FJD 74.3

77.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.12 ₩43.1K

$40.53 FJD 90.8

-20.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩94.2K

$68.9 FJD 154

1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩110.8K

$61.4 FJD 138

34.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ₩1.2M

$891 FJD 1,995

-0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩837.5K

$330 FJD 740

88.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 ₩3.3M

$2,641 FJD 5,913

-5.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ₩1.7M

$1,001 FJD 2,241

27.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.8K ₩40.1M

$1,320 FJD 2,956

2160.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.8K ₩15.9M

$818 FJD 1,832

1348.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,649 ₩4.9M

$961 FJD 2,151

279.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

7.7

-47.01%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Last update for Suva: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.7%

Suva

$330 34.9% 47% $293

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$479 26.7%

Suva

$228 24.1% 52.4% $251

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$265 14.8%

Suva

$83 8.8% 68.6% $182

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Suva

$140 14.8% 23.8% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Suva

$92 9.7% 16.2% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Suva

$44 4.6% 45.4% $36

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Suva

$29 3.1% 48.5% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $885 in Seoul versus $891 in Suva. 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 280% 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 $67.0 in Seoul versus $44.00 in Suva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $479 vs $228 – making Suva the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇫🇯 Suva

🕒 Local time

11:47 11:47 AM

14:47 2:47 PM

3 h ahead of Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

100,000 Capital

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Fijian Dollar FJD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR

1 FJD = 0.447 USD

1 FJD = 0.398 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,343 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.24 FJD (1 FJD = 0.447 USD). 1 EUR = 2.51 FJD (1 FJD = 0.398 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Seoul Suva 8,200 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Suva

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 Suva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 97% more than Suva, 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 $2,733 per month in Seoul and $1,390 in Suva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 103% less in Suva. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,902 per month in Seoul and $228 in Suva. 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 Suva, where all-in costs run around $927, than in Seoul at $1,822. In Suva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suva – 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 Suva. 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.