Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk: $1,500 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index
70

Cost of Living Index in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
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Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Living Index

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Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,822

/mo nomad

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,500

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seoul and in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

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 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,822 per month in Seoul vs $1,500 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, rent included.

Seoul $1,822
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk $1,500

A couple spends around $2,847 per month in Seoul vs $2,506 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, rent included.

Seoul $2,847
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk $2,506

A family of three spends $3,872 per month in Seoul vs $3,512 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, rent included.

Seoul $3,872
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk $3,512

Seoul costs about 21% more than Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seoul and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk sit above the global median – Seoul by 36%, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 ₩12.2K

$17.70 ₽1,506

-48.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 ₩89.8K

$81.0 ₽6,895

-17.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₩9,941

$10.63 ₽904

-30.20%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩5,470

$3.47 ₽295

17.58%

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

$1.60 ₩2,141

$1.81 ₽154

-11.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,078

$0.90 ₽76.5

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩4,886

$5.20 ₽442

-29.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩7,956

$5.72 ₽487

3.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₩2,742

$1.81 ₽154

13.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₩4,130

$2.34 ₽199

31.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ₩5,646

Eggs

$3.57 ₩4,784

$3.58 ₽304

-0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.95 ₩24.1K

$18.63 ₽1,585

-3.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 ₩14.3K

$8.44 ₽719

26.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.44 ₩35.4K

$16.29 ₽1,386

62.31%

Apples (1kg)

$7.42 ₩9,946

$4.76 ₽405

55.88%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩4,732

$3.14 ₽268

12.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 ₩7,866

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 ₩8,534

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₩5,028

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ₩3,337

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 ₩3,911

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,542

$2.37 ₽202

-51.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,408

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 ₩24.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,057

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₩4,398

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,526

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.47 ₩60.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩4,663

$3.45 ₽293

0.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩803

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.70 ₩11.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,004

$0.85 ₽72.2

76.47%

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

$29.1K ₩39.0M

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

$28.2K ₩37.8M

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

$209 ₩279.9K

$115 ₽9,759

82.12%

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

$35.13 ₩47.1K

$14.32 ₽1,218

145.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.18 ₩28.4K

$9.63 ₽819

119.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₩76.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 ₩21.3K

$35.90 ₽3,054

-55.74%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 ₩15.2K

$7.02 ₽597

61.40%

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

$179 ₽15.2K

-67.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.12 ₩43.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₩94.0K

$120 ₽10.2K

-41.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₩110.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ₩1.2M

$818 ₽69.6K

8.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₩835.5K

$638 ₽54.3K

-2.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 ₩3.3M

$1,774 ₽150.9K

40.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ₩1.7M

$1,392 ₽118.5K

-8.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.8K ₩40.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.8K ₩15.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,649 ₩4.9M

$1,413 ₽120.2K

158.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

24.33

-83.23%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Last update for Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seoul

$624 34.7%

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

$638 43.5% 2.3% $14

Groceries & Markets

Seoul

$479 26.7%

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

$274 * 18.7% 42.8% $205

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seoul

$265 14.8%

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

$139 9.5% 47.7% $127

Eating Out

Seoul

$184 10.2%

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

$263 18% 43.3% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Seoul

$110 6.1%

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

$134 * 9.2% 22.4% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Seoul

$80 4.5%

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

$14 * 1% 82.5% $66

Getting Around

Seoul

$57 3.1%

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

$3.5 * 0.2% 93.9% $53

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $885 in Seoul versus $818 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. 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 158% 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 $81.0 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Groceries tell a different story – $479 in Seoul vs $274 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk – so Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seoul

🇷🇺 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

🕒 Local time

17:58 5:58 PM

19:58 7:58 PM

2 h ahead of Seoul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,509,458 Capital

180,467

💱 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 →

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Seoul Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 1,660 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

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Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

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 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 21% more than Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, 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 $2,250 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, 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 $1,500 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. That's a gap of about 21%.

Groceries cost about 75% more in Seoul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, where all-in costs run around $1,500, than in Seoul at $1,822. In Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk – 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 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. 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.