Cost of Living Comparison Between Springfield, IL and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Springfield, IL and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,598 per month in Springfield, IL vs $1,752 in Seoul, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,992 per month in Springfield, IL vs $2,801 in Seoul, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,386 per month in Springfield, IL vs $3,850 in Seoul, rent included.

Springfield, IL costs about 48% more than Seoul, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Springfield, IL and Seoul sit above the global median – Springfield, IL by 89%, Seoul by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.33 $14.33

$9.76 ₩13.2K

46.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.65 $42.65

$65.6 ₩89.0K

-35.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 $10.12

$7.14 ₩9,685

41.74%

Cappuccino

$5.40 $5.40

$4.02 ₩5,453

34.33%

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

$1.97 $1.97

$1.64 ₩2,218

20.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$0.83 ₩1,119

89.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.59 ₩4,865

-17.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$5.73 ₩7,772

-31.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$2.11 ₩2,855

-64.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.11 ₩4,217

6.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.63 $8.63

$4.25 ₩5,764

103.06%

Eggs

$3.23 $3.23

$3.38 ₩4,579

-4.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.88 $18.88

$17.01 ₩23.1K

10.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.62 $16.62

$10.06 ₩13.6K

65.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$32.84 $32.84

$24.88 ₩33.7K

31.99%

Apples (1kg)

$8.28 $8.28

$7.36 ₩9,975

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$3.47 ₩4,706

-64.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.55 ₩7,520

59.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$6.26 ₩8,482

-8.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.65 ₩4,942

-11.51%

Onion (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.43 ₩3,298

81.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.73 ₩3,697

-27.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.08 ₩1,464

51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.83 $9.83

$3.23 ₩4,386

204.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.08 $11.08

$18.34 ₩24.9K

-39.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 $1.30

$2.36 ₩3,202

-44.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

$3.12 ₩4,236

-50.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.16 ₩1,577

5.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.17 $40.17

$44.79 ₩60.7K

-10.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 $5.78

$3.56 ₩4,821

62.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.58 ₩793

87.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.92 $17.92

$8.88 ₩12.0K

101.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.45 ₩1,964

-36.55%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$29.1K ₩39.4M

28.00%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$28.1K ₩38.1M

-4.13%

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

$204 $204

$196 ₩266.4K

3.66%

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

$93.5 $93.5

$34.49 ₩46.8K

171.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.9 $64.9

$19.80 ₩26.8K

227.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 $51.0

$57.0 ₩77.3K

-10.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.34 $20.34

$16.05 ₩21.8K

26.73%

Cinema Ticket

$12.35 $12.35

$11.04 ₩15.0K

11.87%

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

$956 $956

$1,891 ₩2.6M

-49.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 $106

$56.3 ₩76.4K

88.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 $54.9

$32.45 ₩44.0K

69.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 $124

$68.2 ₩92.5K

81.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$79.4 ₩107.7K

74.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$922 $922

$865 ₩1.2M

6.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 $1,143

$601 ₩814.8K

90.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,857 $1,857

$2,497 ₩3.4M

-25.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,170 $2,170

$1,225 ₩1.7M

77.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,176 $3,176

$28.2K ₩38.2M

-88.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,150 $1,150

$11.3K ₩15.4M

-89.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,960 $3,960

$3,486 ₩4.7M

13.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.65

4.08

38.48%

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

Last update for Springfield, IL: August 31, 2026

Last update for Seoul: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $922 in Springfield, IL versus $865 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 14% higher in Springfield, IL, 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 $43.00 in Springfield, IL versus $66.0 in Seoul. Groceries tell a different story – $517 in Springfield, IL vs $464 in Seoul – so Seoul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Springfield, IL vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Springfield, IL costs about 48% more than Seoul, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,898 per month in Springfield, IL and $2,628 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 12% less in Seoul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $956 per month in Springfield, IL and $1,891 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 $1,752, than in Springfield, IL at $2,598. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Springfield, IL 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, Springfield, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.