Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Yongin Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Yongin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,761 per month in Seoul vs $1,322 in Yongin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,851 per month in Seoul vs $2,080 in Yongin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,940 per month in Seoul vs $2,837 in Yongin, rent included.

Seoul costs about 33% more than Yongin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seoul sits 31% above the global median, while Yongin is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.81 ₩13.4K

$6.08 ₩9,228

44.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 ₩83.8K

$22.12 ₩33.6K

149.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.34 ₩9,626

$6.49 ₩9,862

-2.31%

Cappuccino

$3.93 ₩5,966

$3.89 ₩5,901

1.03%

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

$1.74 ₩2,643

$1.72 ₩2,617

1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₩1,284

$0.85 ₩1,294

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₩5,457

$3.14 ₩4,763

14.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₩8,885

$4.86 ₩7,384

20.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,364

$2.14 ₩3,244

3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 ₩5,010

$1.45 ₩2,196

127.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,692

$3.21 ₩4,880

-3.74%

Eggs

$3.20 ₩4,862

$2.56 ₩3,885

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.10 ₩21.4K

$7.16 ₩10.9K

96.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.98 ₩16.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.92 ₩51.5K

$21.65 ₩32.9K

56.67%

Apples (1kg)

$7.78 ₩11.8K

$7.52 ₩11.4K

3.46%

Banana (1kg)

$3.61 ₩5,488

$3.61 ₩5,484

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 ₩8,621

$3.78 ₩5,734

50.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 ₩10.0K

$3.62 ₩5,498

82.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 ₩5,994

$3.77 ₩5,722

4.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,522

$2.83 ₩4,296

5.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 ₩3,820

$2.60 ₩3,956

-3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₩1,938

$1.21 ₩1,836

5.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₩5,062

$3.27 ₩4,970

1.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ₩29.1K

$16.52 ₩25.1K

16.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₩3,550

$1.90 ₩2,878

23.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩5,123

$3.21 ₩4,871

4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,636

$0.91 ₩1,385

18.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.54 ₩70.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩5,287

$3.60 ₩5,469

-3.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩860

$0.53 ₩805

7.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩13.5K

$8.92 ₩13.6K

-0.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,828

$1.25 ₩1,901

-4.00%

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

$28.1K ₩42.7M

$28.0K ₩42.6M

0.32%

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

$24.7K ₩37.6M

$24.6K ₩37.3M

0.57%

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

$166 ₩252.2K

$163 ₩248.0K

1.71%

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

$34.26 ₩52.0K

$34.56 ₩52.5K

-0.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.30 ₩33.9K

$22.62 ₩34.3K

-1.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 ₩87.5K

$52.3 ₩79.4K

10.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.03 ₩35.0K

Cinema Ticket

$10.89 ₩16.5K

$11.18 ₩17.0K

-2.59%

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

$409 ₩621.6K

$409 ₩620.8K

0.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ₩35.6M

$23.6K ₩35.9M

-0.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ₩90.4K

$58.2 ₩88.3K

2.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.29 ₩71.8K

$48.35 ₩73.4K

-2.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩118.8K

$81.0 ₩122.9K

-3.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩178.3K

$117 ₩176.9K

0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$962 ₩1.5M

$452 ₩687.1K

112.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₩884.5K

$381 ₩578.3K

52.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,572 ₩3.9M

$1,053 ₩1.6M

144.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 ₩2.0M

$775 ₩1.2M

71.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.2K ₩41.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.9K ₩16.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Yongin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $962 in Seoul versus $452 in Yongin. 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 $55.0 in Seoul versus $22.00 in Yongin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $496 vs $384 – making Yongin 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 Yongin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 33% more than Yongin, 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 $2,642 per month in Seoul and $1,983 in Yongin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yongin, 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 $1,761 in Seoul and $1,322 in Yongin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $409 per month in Seoul and $409 in Yongin. 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 Yongin, where all-in costs run around $1,322, than in Seoul at $1,761. In Yongin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yongin – 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 Yongin. 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.