Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Yongin

For one person, living is cheaper in Yongin: $1,044 a month against $1,848 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,848

/mo nomad

Yongin

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,044

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Yongin

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

A single person spends $1,848 per month in Seoul vs $1,044 in Yongin, rent included.

Seoul $1,848
Yongin $1,044

A couple spends around $2,986 per month in Seoul vs $1,585 in Yongin, rent included.

Seoul $2,986
Yongin $1,585

A family of three spends $4,125 per month in Seoul vs $2,126 in Yongin, rent included.

Seoul $4,125
Yongin $2,126

Seoul costs about 77% more than Yongin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Seoul sits 36% above the global median, while Yongin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 ₩12.1K

$6.17 ₩8,244

46.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 ₩91.2K

$26.36 ₩35.2K

159.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 ₩9,812

$6.70 ₩8,952

9.70%

Cappuccino

$4.12 ₩5,498

$3.62 ₩4,839

13.81%

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

$1.64 ₩2,195

$1.56 ₩2,078

5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,077

$0.63 ₩848

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩4,952

$3.52 ₩4,699

5.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 ₩8,188

$4.41 ₩5,888

39.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ₩2,726

$1.16 ₩1,549

75.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 ₩4,286

$3.18 ₩4,241

0.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 ₩5,858

$2.28 ₩3,041

92.54%

Eggs

$3.59 ₩4,795

$2.38 ₩3,177

50.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.23 ₩24.3K

$16.08 ₩21.5K

13.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 ₩14.0K

$8.14 ₩10.9K

29.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.89 ₩35.9K

$11.27 ₩15.0K

138.60%

Apples (1kg)

$7.86 ₩10.5K

$7.89 ₩10.5K

-0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,712

$3.20 ₩4,271

10.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.70 ₩7,616

$7.37 ₩9,842

-22.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.18 ₩8,249

$7.12 ₩9,505

-13.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 ₩5,024

$3.59 ₩4,796

4.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 ₩3,354

$2.39 ₩3,197

5.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 ₩3,758

$2.06 ₩2,750

36.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,482

$1.49 ₩1,995

-25.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₩4,406

$3.35 ₩4,468

-1.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 ₩24.9K

$18.84 ₩25.2K

-1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,229

$2.29 ₩3,054

5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ₩4,483

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₩1,591

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.13 ₩61.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ₩4,742

$3.77 ₩5,029

-5.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩806

$0.62 ₩833

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 ₩12.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₩1,920

$1.37 ₩1,833

5.11%

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

$30.3K ₩40.4M

$29.9K ₩40.0M

1.09%

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

$28.9K ₩38.6M

$36.2K ₩48.3M

-20.11%

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

$213 ₩283.7K

$214 ₩285.8K

-0.72%

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

$35.83 ₩47.8K

$43.25 ₩57.7K

-17.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.39 ₩28.6K

$21.16 ₩28.3K

1.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 ₩82.3K

$52.2 ₩69.7K

18.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.41 ₩21.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.42 ₩15.2K

$11.15 ₩14.9K

2.42%

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

$1,948 ₩2.6M

$298 ₩398.4K

552.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K ₩30.4M

$17.8K ₩23.7M

28.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₩79.8K

$65.4 ₩87.3K

-8.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.19 ₩45.7K

$63.2 ₩84.3K

-45.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 ₩88.1K

$74.4 ₩99.3K

-11.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 ₩109.3K

$100 ₩134.0K

-18.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$924 ₩1.2M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ₩880.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,012 ₩4.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 ₩1.9M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.2K ₩36.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K ₩15.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,570 ₩4.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.1

-0.49%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 26, 2026

Last update for Yongin: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$659 35.7%

Yongin

–

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$483 26.2%

Yongin

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$270 14.6%

Yongin

–

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10%

Yongin

–

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$109 5.9%

Yongin

–

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$84 4.6%

Yongin

–

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Yongin

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Seoul versus $26 in Yongin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $483 vs $399 – making Yongin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇰🇷 Yongin

🕒 Local time

09:02 9:02 AM

Same time as Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

1,004,081

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seoul vs Yongin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 77% more than Yongin, 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 $2,771 per month in Seoul and $1,566 in Yongin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,848 in Seoul and $1,044 in Yongin. That makes Yongin about 44% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,948 per month in Seoul and $298 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 $1,044, than in Seoul at $1,848. In Yongin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.