Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Uijeongbu Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Uijeongbu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,784 per month in Seoul vs $1,262 in Uijeongbu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,852 per month in Seoul vs $2,023 in Uijeongbu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,920 per month in Seoul vs $2,784 in Uijeongbu, rent included.

Seoul costs about 41% more than Uijeongbu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Seoul sits 33% above the global median, while Uijeongbu is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.98 ₩13.3K

$5.71 ₩8,463

57.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.4 ₩82.1K

$55.5 ₩82.3K

-0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 ₩9,588

$5.83 ₩8,648

10.81%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ₩5,591

$3.35 ₩4,968

12.54%

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

$1.71 ₩2,537

$1.13 ₩1,672

51.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,199

$0.86 ₩1,273

-5.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₩5,322

$2.15 ₩3,188

66.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 ₩8,952

$2.96 ₩4,397

103.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₩3,208

$2.16 ₩3,197

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 ₩4,987

$3.45 ₩5,115

-2.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 ₩4,699

$3.23 ₩4,795

-1.86%

Eggs

$3.15 ₩4,671

$3.05 ₩4,527

3.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 ₩21.4K

$14.04 ₩20.8K

2.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 ₩16.2K

$11.05 ₩16.4K

-1.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.05 ₩50.5K

$33.55 ₩49.8K

1.49%

Apples (1kg)

$7.88 ₩11.7K

$7.74 ₩11.5K

1.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.63 ₩5,390

$3.48 ₩5,166

4.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 ₩8,407

$5.64 ₩8,367

0.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.44 ₩9,553

$6.38 ₩9,457

0.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 ₩5,777

$3.84 ₩5,700

1.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 ₩4,257

$2.88 ₩4,268

-0.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 ₩3,848

$2.63 ₩3,906

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,956

$1.19 ₩1,769

10.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,891

$3.24 ₩4,813

1.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.80 ₩29.4K

$15.20 ₩22.6K

30.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₩3,454

$2.43 ₩3,598

-4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ₩4,793

$3.30 ₩4,902

-2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,586

$1.12 ₩1,657

-4.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.51 ₩69.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,190

$3.45 ₩5,125

1.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩843

$0.54 ₩800

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.59 ₩12.7K

$8.84 ₩13.1K

-2.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,793

$1.23 ₩1,832

-1.63%

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

$27.4K ₩40.6M

$27.8K ₩41.2M

-1.37%

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

$25.1K ₩37.2M

$24.9K ₩36.9M

0.75%

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

$161 ₩239.2K

$144 ₩214.1K

11.73%

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

$34.79 ₩51.6K

$34.47 ₩51.1K

0.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.48 ₩33.3K

$22.35 ₩33.2K

0.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 ₩87.2K

$47.42 ₩70.3K

23.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.22 ₩34.4K

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 ₩16.5K

$10.86 ₩16.1K

2.21%

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

$413 ₩612.3K

$410 ₩607.6K

0.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K ₩34.3M

-0.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ₩85.9K

$60.0 ₩89.0K

-3.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.44 ₩70.4K

$48.49 ₩71.9K

-2.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 ₩116.7K

$80.9 ₩120.0K

-2.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩173.0K

$118 ₩175.4K

-1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 ₩1.4M

$253 ₩375.4K

277.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₩877.1K

$223 ₩330.4K

165.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,570 ₩3.8M

$477 ₩708.1K

438.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₩2.0M

$402 ₩596.3K

227.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K ₩27.4M

$9,719 ₩14.4M

89.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,790 ₩14.5M

$5,836 ₩8.7M

67.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,903 ₩4.3M

$2,041 ₩3.0M

42.21%

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 Uijeongbu: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Seoul versus $253 in Uijeongbu. 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 42% 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 $55.0 in Uijeongbu. Groceries tell a different story – $498 in Seoul vs $485 in Uijeongbu – so Uijeongbu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Uijeongbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 41% more than Uijeongbu, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,892 in Uijeongbu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,784 in Seoul and $1,262 in Uijeongbu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $413 per month in Seoul and $410 in Uijeongbu. 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 Uijeongbu, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Seoul at $1,784. In Uijeongbu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Uijeongbu – 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 Uijeongbu. 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.