Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Ulan Ude

For one person, living is cheaper in Ulan Ude: $1,098 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 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
53

Cost of Living Index in Ulan Ude
Learn more

Ulan Ude Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,822

/mo nomad

Ulan Ude

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,098

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Ulan Ude

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

A single person spends $1,822 per month in Seoul vs $1,098 in Ulan Ude, rent included.

Seoul $1,822
Ulan Ude $1,098

A couple spends around $2,847 per month in Seoul vs $1,685 in Ulan Ude, rent included.

Seoul $2,847
Ulan Ude $1,685

A family of three spends $3,872 per month in Seoul vs $2,272 in Ulan Ude, rent included.

Seoul $3,872
Ulan Ude $2,272

Seoul costs about 66% more than Ulan Ude, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 36% above the global median, while Ulan Ude is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.2K

$6.81 ₽579

33.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 ₩89.8K

$46.65 ₽3,969

43.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₩9,941

$6.95 ₽591

6.76%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩5,470

$3.47 ₽296

17.58%

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

$1.60 ₩2,141

$1.80 ₽154

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,078

$1.73 ₽147

-53.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩4,886

$3.65 ₽310

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩7,956

$5.74 ₽488

3.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₩2,742

$1.26 ₽107

62.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₩4,130

$0.84 ₽71.7

266.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,646

$0.45 ₽38.68

835.56%

Eggs

$3.57 ₩4,784

$1.88 ₽160

89.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.95 ₩24.1K

$11.60 ₽987

54.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 ₩14.3K

$5.90 ₽502

80.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.44 ₩35.4K

$10.40 ₽885

154.23%

Apples (1kg)

$7.42 ₩9,946

$1.21 ₽103

513.22%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,732

$1.79 ₽152

97.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 ₩7,866

$1.17 ₽99.3

401.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 ₩8,534

$2.32 ₽198

174.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,028

$0.58 ₽48.94

546.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ₩3,337

$0.84 ₽71.5

196.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 ₩3,911

$3.47 ₽295

-15.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,542

$0.73 ₽62.0

57.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,408

$2.85 ₽243

15.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.8K

$8.17 ₽695

126.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,057

$0.58 ₽49.24

293.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₩4,398

$1.19 ₽101

175.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,526

$0.46 ₽38.80

147.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.47 ₩60.9K

$23.18 ₽1,972

96.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩4,663

$1.21 ₽103

187.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩803

$0.17 ₽14.61

252.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.70 ₩11.7K

$7.10 ₽605

22.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,004

$0.78 ₽66.1

92.31%

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

$29.1K ₩39.0M

$47.6K ₽4.0M

-38.82%

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

$28.2K ₩37.8M

$35.1K ₽3.0M

-19.62%

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

$209 ₩279.9K

$118 ₽10.1K

76.49%

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

$35.13 ₩47.1K

$3.50 ₽298

903.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.18 ₩28.4K

$8.20 ₽698

158.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₩76.8K

$23.55 ₽2,004

143.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 ₩21.3K

$48.08 ₽4,091

-66.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 ₩15.2K

$6.87 ₽585

64.92%

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

$1,902 ₩2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K ₩30.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₩78.9K

$70.4 ₽5,992

-16.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.12 ₩43.0K

$29.41 ₽2,503

9.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩94.0K

$117 ₽9,919

-39.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩110.5K

$119 ₽10.1K

-30.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ₩1.2M

$501 ₽42.6K

76.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩835.5K

$371 ₽31.5K

68.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 ₩3.3M

$773 ₽65.7K

222.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ₩1.7M

$580 ₽49.3K

119.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.8K ₩40.0M

$1,977 ₽168.2K

1409.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.8K ₩15.9M

$1,538 ₽130.9K

670.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,649 ₩4.9M

$884 ₽75.2K

312.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

21.67

-81.17%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Last update for Ulan Ude: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.7%

Ulan Ude

$371 34.2% 40.5% $253

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$479 26.7%

Ulan Ude

$207 19.1% 56.9% $272

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$265 14.8%

Ulan Ude

$130 12% 51% $135

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Ulan Ude

$161 14.8% 12.5% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Ulan Ude

$151 13.9% 37.7% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Ulan Ude

$37 3.4% 53.4% $43

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Ulan Ude

$27 2.5% 52.1% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $885 in Seoul versus $501 in Ulan Ude. 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 313% 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 $47.00 in Ulan Ude. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $479 vs $207 – making Ulan Ude the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇷🇺 Ulan Ude

🕒 Local time

16:31 4:31 PM

15:31 3:31 PM

1 h behind Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

436,138

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR

100 RUB = 1.18 USD

100 RUB = 1.05 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, 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 = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,503 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 85.09 RUB (100 RUB = 1.18 USD). 1 EUR = 95.44 RUB (100 RUB = 1.05 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Seoul Ulan Ude 2,190 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Seoul
Ulan Ude

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 Ulan Ude: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 66% more than Ulan Ude, 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 $1,647 in Ulan Ude. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulan Ude, 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 $1,822 in Seoul and $1,098 in Ulan Ude. That's a gap of about 66%.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Seoul and $47.00 in Ulan Ude. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulan Ude, where all-in costs run around $1,098, than in Seoul at $1,822. In Ulan Ude it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulan Ude – 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 Ulan Ude. 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.