Cost of Living Comparison Between South Korea and Canada Cost of Living Comparison Between South Korea and Canada

Name: Canada
Address: CA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,426 per month in South Korea vs $2,323 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,249 per month in South Korea vs $3,377 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,071 per month in South Korea vs $4,431 in Canada, rent included.

South Korea is roughly 39% cheaper than Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Korea and Canada are pricier than the global median – South Korea by 6%, Canada by 73%.

Canada has a wider regional cost range ($1,344–$3,069) than South Korea ($1,253–$1,784), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Canada.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.34 ₩10.8K

$18.33 CA$25.11

-59.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.05 ₩64.9K

$72.4 CA$99.2

-39.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 ₩8,448

$10.87 CA$14.89

-47.29%

Cappuccino

$3.66 ₩5,396

$3.72 CA$5.10

-1.61%

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

$1.64 ₩2,412

$2.10 CA$2.87

-21.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₩1,138

$1.68 CA$2.31

-54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 ₩5,515

$5.99 CA$8.20

-37.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 ₩6,894

$5.73 CA$7.85

-18.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,301

$2.22 CA$3.04

0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 ₩4,635

$2.80 CA$3.83

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,349

$3.66 CA$5.02

-19.40%

Eggs

$3.03 ₩4,470

$3.52 CA$4.82

-13.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.95 ₩20.5K

$11.33 CA$15.53

23.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 ₩13.8K

$12.52 CA$17.16

-25.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.14 ₩44.4K

$15.15 CA$20.75

98.94%

Apples (1kg)

$7.78 ₩11.5K

$4.25 CA$5.83

83.06%

Banana (1kg)

$3.48 ₩5,134

$1.51 CA$2.07

130.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 ₩8,604

$3.96 CA$5.42

47.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.11 ₩9,009

$4.19 CA$5.75

45.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 ₩5,730

$2.75 CA$3.77

41.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 ₩4,179

$2.73 CA$3.74

4.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 ₩3,554

$2.57 CA$3.52

-6.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₩1,760

$1.87 CA$2.56

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,979

$14.67 CA$20.10

-76.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 ₩23.4K

$13.25 CA$18.15

19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₩3,025

$2.91 CA$3.99

-29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₩4,254

$3.33 CA$4.56

-13.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,656

$2.64 CA$3.61

-57.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.99 ₩69.2K

$77.7 CA$106

-39.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 ₩4,842

$3.37 CA$4.61

-2.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩829

$1.47 CA$2.02

-61.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.79 ₩12.9K

$28.78 CA$39.43

-69.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₩1,755

$1.15 CA$1.57

3.48%

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

$27.7K ₩40.8M

$24.9K CA$34.1K

11.19%

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

$24.2K ₩35.7M

$20.3K CA$27.8K

19.35%

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

$167 ₩246.2K

$156 CA$214

7.00%

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

$41.36 ₩60.9K

$46.08 CA$63.1

-10.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.78 ₩32.1K

$62.4 CA$85.4

-65.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 ₩76.3K

$43.98 CA$60.3

17.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.40 ₩28.6K

$17.92 CA$24.56

8.26%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 ₩16.5K

$11.43 CA$15.66

-1.84%

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

$392 ₩577.6K

$815 CA$1,117

-51.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.6K ₩33.3M

$12.3K CA$16.8K

84.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ₩85.3K

$55.9 CA$76.6

3.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.54 ₩70.0K

$41.52 CA$56.9

14.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 ₩118.7K

$88.7 CA$122

-9.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₩160.6K

$109 CA$150

-0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₩920.5K

$1,379 CA$1,890

-54.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 ₩615.3K

$1,212 CA$1,661

-65.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 ₩2.3M

$2,160 CA$2,960

-27.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$963 ₩1.4M

$1,866 CA$2,556

-48.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K ₩19.2M

$4,998 CA$6,847

161.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,275 ₩12.2M

$4,001 CA$5,481

106.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,241 ₩3.3M

$3,031 CA$4,153

-26.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

6.33

-33.65%

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

Last update for South Korea: April 27, 2026

Last update for Canada: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $459 in South Korea vs $1,283 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $956 in Seoul and $1,475 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $1,973 in South Korea vs $3,008 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 180% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 70% more in Canada.

Public transport is 450% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 52% higher in Canada.

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

South Korea vs Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Korea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 45% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in South Korea, contributing to the overall 45% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in South Korea, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

South Korea is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.