Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Southern Cross and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Seoul: $1,794 a month against $2,347 in Southern Cross, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

120

Cost of Living Index in Southern Cross
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Southern Cross Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
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Seoul Living Index

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Southern Cross

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,347

/mo nomad

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,794

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Southern Cross and in Seoul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Southern Cross and in Seoul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Southern Cross vs $1,794 in Seoul, rent included.

Southern Cross $2,347
Seoul $1,794

A couple spends around $3,547 per month in Southern Cross vs $2,863 in Seoul, rent included.

Southern Cross $3,547
Seoul $2,863

A family of three spends $4,747 per month in Southern Cross vs $3,931 in Seoul, rent included.

Southern Cross $4,747
Seoul $3,931

Southern Cross costs about 31% more than Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Southern Cross and Seoul sit above the global median – Southern Cross by 74%, Seoul by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.67 A$28.30

$8.80 ₩11.7K

123.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.9 A$89.1

$68.4 ₩90.9K

-9.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 A$15.13

$7.54 ₩10.0K

39.52%

Cappuccino

$3.57 A$5.14

$4.23 ₩5,624

-15.60%

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

$2.47 A$3.55

$1.63 ₩2,167

51.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 A$2.44

$0.74 ₩985

129.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 A$10.19

$3.64 ₩4,843

94.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 A$11.83

$6.15 ₩8,175

33.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 A$2.26

$2.01 ₩2,679

-21.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 A$3.80

$3.13 ₩4,164

-15.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 A$3.14

$4.32 ₩5,744

-49.54%

Eggs

$2.72 A$3.92

$3.61 ₩4,794

-24.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 A$13.55

$17.83 ₩23.7K

-47.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.15 A$13.16

$10.45 ₩13.9K

-12.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 A$21.13

$25.80 ₩34.3K

-43.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 A$5.51

$7.66 ₩10.2K

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.48

$3.38 ₩4,499

-7.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.78

$5.81 ₩7,723

-42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.85

$6.41 ₩8,520

-25.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 A$4.07

$3.75 ₩4,983

-24.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 A$3.43

$2.54 ₩3,375

-6.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 A$3.46

$2.84 ₩3,782

-15.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 A$2.11

$1.11 ₩1,472

32.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$34.77 A$50.0

$3.35 ₩4,455

937.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.03 A$20.19

$18.49 ₩24.6K

-24.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.63 A$6.67

$2.40 ₩3,185

92.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.67

$3.37 ₩4,480

58.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 A$3.88

$1.14 ₩1,521

136.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.3 A$133

$46.11 ₩61.3K

100.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 A$4.32

$3.49 ₩4,643

-14.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 A$2.40

$0.63 ₩840

163.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.90 A$56.0

$8.86 ₩11.8K

339.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.80

$1.51 ₩2,005

-17.22%

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

$24.1K A$34.7K

$29.3K ₩38.9M

-17.60%

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

$28.1K A$40.5K

$28.2K ₩37.5M

-0.28%

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

$201 A$289

$218 ₩289.2K

-7.74%

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

$28.18 A$40.56

$35.15 ₩46.7K

-19.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 A$81.7

$21.29 ₩28.3K

166.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.78 A$71.6

$58.1 ₩77.2K

-14.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.91 A$25.77

$16.10 ₩21.4K

11.24%

Cinema Ticket

$13.34 A$19.20

$11.31 ₩15.0K

17.95%

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

$2,080 A$2,994

$1,948 ₩2.6M

6.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K A$25.9K

$22.9K ₩30.4M

-21.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 A$116

$57.0 ₩75.8K

41.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 A$82.2

$33.39 ₩44.4K

71.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 A$141

$71.5 ₩95.0K

37.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 A$190

$82.5 ₩109.7K

60.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 A$1,821

$901 ₩1.2M

40.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 A$1,507

$612 ₩813.5K

71.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,210 A$3,180

$2,526 ₩3.4M

-12.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,939 A$2,790

$1,266 ₩1.7M

53.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,734 A$8,251

$29.4K ₩39.1M

-80.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,261 A$7,571

$11.9K ₩15.8M

-55.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,010 A$10.1K

$3,650 ₩4.9M

92.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

4.08

53.19%

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

Last update for Southern Cross: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Southern Cross

$1K 44.6%

Seoul

$612 34.1% 41.6% $435

Groceries & Markets

Southern Cross

$357 15.2%

Seoul

$477 26.6% 33.6% $120

Eating Out

Southern Cross

$300 12.8%

Seoul

$184 10.2% 38.8% $117

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Southern Cross

$286 12.2%

Seoul

$274 15.3% 4.1% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Southern Cross

$166 7.1%

Seoul

$110 6.1% 33.6% $56

Getting Around

Southern Cross

$114 4.9%

Seoul

$57 3.2% 49.9% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Southern Cross

$76 3.3%

Seoul

$81 4.5% 5.5% $4.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,265 in Southern Cross versus $901 in Seoul. 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 92% higher in Southern Cross, 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 $62.0 in Southern Cross versus $68.0 in Seoul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $477 – making Southern Cross the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Southern Cross

🇰🇷 Seoul

🕒 Local time

21:19 9:19 PM

22:19 10:19 PM

1 h ahead of Southern Cross

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

700

9,509,458 Capital

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Southern Cross Seoul 7,690 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Southern Cross
Seoul

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

Southern Cross vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Southern Cross costs about 31% more than Seoul, 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 $3,520 per month in Southern Cross and $2,692 in Seoul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seoul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 100% less in Seoul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,080 per month in Southern Cross and $1,948 in Seoul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,794, than in Southern Cross at $2,347. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Southern Cross it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Seoul – 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 Seoul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Southern Cross makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.