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 $1,429 per month in South Korea vs $2,320 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,249 per month in South Korea vs $3,376 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,068 per month in South Korea vs $4,432 in Canada, rent included.

The cost of living in South Korea is roughly 38% lower than in 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 7%, Canada by 74%.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($1,313–$3,141) than in South Korea ($1,229–$1,770), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 ₩10.3K

$18.11 CA$25.38

-60.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.49 ₩62.6K

$73.9 CA$104

-41.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 ₩8,218

$11.22 CA$15.72

-49.11%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ₩5,283

$3.78 CA$5.30

-2.91%

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

$1.57 ₩2,264

$2.16 CA$3.03

-27.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₩1,122

$1.76 CA$2.46

-55.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 ₩5,224

$5.87 CA$8.22

-38.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 ₩7,035

$5.90 CA$8.27

-17.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₩3,169

$2.20 CA$3.08

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 ₩4,406

$2.79 CA$3.92

9.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,462

$3.64 CA$5.10

-14.84%

Eggs

$2.95 ₩4,247

$3.52 CA$4.94

-16.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.86 ₩19.9K

$11.44 CA$16.02

21.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 ₩13.6K

$12.51 CA$17.53

-24.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.00 ₩43.2K

$15.01 CA$21.04

99.87%

Apples (1kg)

$7.89 ₩11.4K

$4.21 CA$5.91

87.41%

Banana (1kg)

$3.56 ₩5,119

$1.43 CA$2.00

148.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 ₩8,401

$3.94 CA$5.52

48.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.33 ₩9,103

$4.14 CA$5.81

52.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,470

$2.77 CA$3.88

37.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,227

$2.77 CA$3.89

6.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 ₩3,539

$2.55 CA$3.58

-3.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,733

$1.86 CA$2.61

-35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₩4,801

$14.58 CA$20.43

-77.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 ₩21.5K

$13.23 CA$18.54

12.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₩2,919

$2.94 CA$4.11

-30.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ₩4,219

$3.27 CA$4.58

-10.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 ₩1,566

$2.61 CA$3.65

-58.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.70 ₩67.2K

$78.3 CA$110

-40.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 ₩4,627

$3.51 CA$4.92

-8.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩824

$1.55 CA$2.17

-63.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.75 ₩12.6K

$28.70 CA$40.22

-69.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₩1,711

$1.20 CA$1.68

-0.83%

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

$27.4K ₩39.4M

$24.6K CA$34.5K

11.31%

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

$24.3K ₩35.0M

$20.6K CA$28.8K

18.46%

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

$169 ₩242.4K

$155 CA$217

8.61%

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

$41.27 ₩59.4K

$46.34 CA$64.9

-10.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.12 ₩31.8K

$63.5 CA$89.0

-65.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ₩76.3K

$42.90 CA$60.1

23.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.08 ₩28.9K

$17.87 CA$25.04

12.37%

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 ₩15.7K

$11.50 CA$16.11

-5.22%

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

$383 ₩550.2K

$815 CA$1,142

-53.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K ₩33.4M

$12.0K CA$16.9K

93.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ₩82.8K

$55.7 CA$78.0

3.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.05 ₩69.1K

$42.56 CA$59.6

12.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 ₩115.5K

$88.2 CA$124

-8.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₩157.2K

$108 CA$151

1.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 ₩882.4K

$1,332 CA$1,866

-53.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 ₩586.7K

$1,177 CA$1,649

-65.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 ₩2.3M

$2,194 CA$3,074

-27.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₩1.4M

$1,888 CA$2,645

-48.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.4K ₩20.7M

$4,592 CA$6,435

213.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,535 ₩10.8M

$3,805 CA$5,332

98.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,161 ₩3.1M

$2,913 CA$4,081

-25.80%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Canada: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $457 in South Korea vs $1,283 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $964 in Seoul and $1,468 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $1,951 in South Korea vs $2,911 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 181% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 70% more in Canada.

Public transport is 442% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 49% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Korea.

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 49% 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 49% 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.