Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Thomas and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Thomas and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,349 per month in St. Thomas vs $1,742 in Seoul, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,371 per month in St. Thomas vs $2,892 in Seoul, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,393 per month in St. Thomas vs $4,043 in Seoul, rent included.

St. Thomas costs about 35% more than Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both St. Thomas and Seoul sit above the global median – St. Thomas by 75%, Seoul by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.60 CA$28.53

$8.59 ₩13.0K

139.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 CA$103

$54.3 ₩82.2K

36.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 CA$16.01

$6.30 ₩9,550

83.49%

Cappuccino

$3.54 CA$4.90

$3.88 ₩5,886

-8.76%

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

$1.86 CA$2.57

$1.72 ₩2,613

8.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.53

$0.86 ₩1,296

112.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.34

$3.60 ₩5,448

47.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 CA$7.97

$5.94 ₩8,998

-3.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 CA$2.77

$2.22 ₩3,371

-9.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.69

$3.45 ₩5,228

-22.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$3.13 ₩4,749

5.11%

Eggs

$3.05 CA$4.23

$3.19 ₩4,830

-4.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 CA$13.23

$14.21 ₩21.5K

-32.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.26 CA$15.60

$10.99 ₩16.6K

2.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.98 CA$22.12

$34.74 ₩52.6K

-54.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.82

$7.97 ₩12.1K

-47.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 CA$1.70

$3.46 ₩5,247

-64.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.61

$5.43 ₩8,229

-38.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.15

$6.69 ₩10.1K

-44.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 CA$3.95

$3.80 ₩5,763

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$2.95 ₩4,465

-13.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CA$3.19

$2.63 ₩3,978

-12.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.27 ₩1,924

12.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.16 CA$15.45

$3.23 ₩4,893

245.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.27 CA$18.37

$19.49 ₩29.5K

-31.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 CA$2.94

$2.42 ₩3,668

-12.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.55

$3.25 ₩4,921

-20.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$1.12 ₩1,691

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.0 CA$85.8

$47.88 ₩72.6K

29.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 CA$3.29

$3.56 ₩5,396

-33.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.35

$0.54 ₩818

214.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.76 CA$42.59

$8.72 ₩13.2K

252.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.25 ₩1,889

-12.00%

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

$25.4K CA$35.1K

$28.3K ₩42.8M

-10.20%

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

$20.6K CA$28.5K

$25.3K ₩38.4M

-18.81%

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

$131 CA$181

$161 ₩243.4K

-18.51%

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

$53.9 CA$74.6

$34.38 ₩52.1K

56.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CA$79.9

$22.41 ₩34.0K

157.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.44 CA$57.4

$57.0 ₩86.4K

-27.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.2K

Cinema Ticket

$10.98 CA$15.21

$11.19 ₩17.0K

-1.88%

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

$557 CA$771

$412 ₩624.5K

35.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K CA$15.1K

$23.7K ₩35.8M

-53.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 CA$74.4

$58.7 ₩88.9K

-8.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 CA$53.8

$46.80 ₩70.9K

-16.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 CA$120

$78.3 ₩118.6K

10.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 CA$111

$114 ₩173.0K

-29.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 CA$1,667

$957 ₩1.4M

25.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,173 CA$1,624

$604 ₩914.5K

94.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CA$2,752

$2,580 ₩3.9M

-22.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 CA$2,537

$1,308 ₩2.0M

40.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,528 CA$6,270

$18.2K ₩27.5M

-75.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,867 CA$5,354

$9,223 ₩14.0M

-58.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,969 CA$4,111

$3,095 ₩4.7M

-4.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

4.14

58.21%

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

Last update for St. Thomas: May 31, 2026

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,204 in St. Thomas versus $957 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 4% higher in Seoul, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in St. Thomas versus $54.0 in Seoul. Groceries tell a different story – $348 in St. Thomas vs $500 in Seoul – so St. Thomas 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

St. Thomas vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. Thomas costs about 35% more than Seoul, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,524 per month in St. Thomas and $2,613 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 29% less in Seoul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $557 per month in St. Thomas and $412 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 $1,742, than in St. Thomas at $2,349. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Thomas 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, St. Thomas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.