Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Suwon Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Suwon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,784 per month in Seoul vs $1,393 in Suwon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,852 per month in Seoul vs $2,096 in Suwon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,920 per month in Seoul vs $2,798 in Suwon, rent included.

Seoul costs about 28% more than Suwon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Suwon sit above the global median – Seoul by 33%, Suwon by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.98 ₩13.3K

$7.44 ₩11.0K

20.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.4 ₩82.1K

$29.14 ₩43.2K

89.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 ₩9,588

$5.07 ₩7,523

27.42%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ₩5,591

$3.55 ₩5,260

6.20%

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

$1.71 ₩2,537

$1.54 ₩2,290

11.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,199

$0.68 ₩1,013

19.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₩5,322

$3.73 ₩5,534

-3.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 ₩8,952

$4.34 ₩6,434

38.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₩3,208

$2.16 ₩3,211

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 ₩4,987

$2.26 ₩3,355

48.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 ₩4,699

$3.21 ₩4,767

-1.25%

Eggs

$3.15 ₩4,671

$2.41 ₩3,571

30.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 ₩21.4K

$10.82 ₩16.1K

33.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 ₩16.2K

$10.73 ₩15.9K

1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.05 ₩50.5K

$12.05 ₩17.9K

182.57%

Apples (1kg)

$7.88 ₩11.7K

$5.53 ₩8,209

42.50%

Banana (1kg)

$3.63 ₩5,390

$2.78 ₩4,117

30.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 ₩8,407

$5.23 ₩7,754

8.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.44 ₩9,553

$2.56 ₩3,792

151.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 ₩5,777

$4.01 ₩5,955

-2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 ₩4,257

$2.24 ₩3,318

28.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 ₩3,848

$2.59 ₩3,837

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,956

$0.90 ₩1,329

46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,891

$3.25 ₩4,818

1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.80 ₩29.4K

$12.41 ₩18.4K

59.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₩3,454

$2.04 ₩3,030

14.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ₩4,793

$2.16 ₩3,204

49.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,586

$1.21 ₩1,794

-11.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.51 ₩69.0K

$47.80 ₩70.9K

-2.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,190

$2.73 ₩4,043

28.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩843

$0.56 ₩834

1.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.59 ₩12.7K

$8.57 ₩12.7K

0.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,793

$1.25 ₩1,848

-3.20%

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

$27.4K ₩40.6M

$28.2K ₩41.8M

-2.91%

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

$25.1K ₩37.2M

$13.9K ₩20.6M

80.79%

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

$161 ₩239.2K

$165 ₩244.1K

-2.01%

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

$34.79 ₩51.6K

$34.89 ₩51.7K

-0.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.48 ₩33.3K

$21.97 ₩32.6K

2.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 ₩87.2K

$45.83 ₩68.0K

28.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.22 ₩34.4K

$14.48 ₩21.5K

60.36%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 ₩16.5K

$11.22 ₩16.6K

-1.07%

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

$413 ₩612.3K

$420 ₩623.3K

-1.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K ₩34.3M

$23.5K ₩34.9M

-1.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ₩85.9K

$34.24 ₩50.8K

69.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.44 ₩70.4K

$48.28 ₩71.6K

-1.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 ₩116.7K

$79.4 ₩117.7K

-0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩173.0K

$26.84 ₩39.8K

334.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 ₩1.4M

$444 ₩659.2K

115.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₩877.1K

$445 ₩660.4K

32.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,570 ₩3.8M

$916 ₩1.4M

180.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₩2.0M

$867 ₩1.3M

52.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K ₩27.4M

$10.8K ₩16.1M

70.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,790 ₩14.5M

$6,590 ₩9.8M

48.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,903 ₩4.3M

$2,276 ₩3.4M

27.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Seoul: April 27, 2026

Last update for Suwon: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Seoul versus $444 in Suwon. 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 28% 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 $55.0 in Seoul versus $29.00 in Suwon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $498 vs $344 – making Suwon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Suwon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 28% more than Suwon, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,676 per month in Seoul and $2,090 in Suwon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 3% less in Suwon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $413 per month in Seoul and $420 in Suwon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Suwon, where all-in costs run around $1,393, than in Seoul at $1,784. In Suwon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suwon – 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 Suwon. 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.