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 $2,344 per month in St. Thomas vs $1,752 in Seoul, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,407 per month in St. Thomas vs $2,801 in Seoul, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,471 per month in St. Thomas vs $3,850 in Seoul, rent included.

St. Thomas costs about 34% more than Seoul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both St. Thomas and Seoul sit above the global median – St. Thomas by 71%, Seoul by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.89 CA$30.19

$9.76 ₩13.2K

124.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 CA$88.6

$65.6 ₩89.0K

-2.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 CA$15.71

$7.14 ₩9,685

59.52%

Cappuccino

$3.39 CA$4.68

$4.02 ₩5,453

-15.67%

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

$2.22 CA$3.06

$1.64 ₩2,218

35.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.15

$0.83 ₩1,119

87.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 CA$7.07

$3.59 ₩4,865

42.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 CA$8.53

$5.73 ₩7,772

7.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CA$3.01

$2.11 ₩2,855

3.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.67

$3.11 ₩4,217

-14.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.32

$4.25 ₩5,764

-9.18%

Eggs

$3.30 CA$4.55

$3.38 ₩4,579

-2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 CA$13.13

$17.01 ₩23.1K

-44.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.10 CA$22.20

$10.06 ₩13.6K

60.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.55 CA$26.96

$24.88 ₩33.7K

-21.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.41

$7.36 ₩9,975

-46.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.83

$3.47 ₩4,706

-61.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.08

$5.55 ₩7,520

-33.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.52

$6.26 ₩8,482

-36.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.68

$3.65 ₩4,942

-6.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.05

$2.43 ₩3,298

20.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.98 CA$4.11

$2.73 ₩3,697

9.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.08 ₩1,464

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CA$15.25

$3.23 ₩4,386

242.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 CA$17.35

$18.34 ₩24.9K

-31.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 CA$3.46

$2.36 ₩3,202

6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 CA$3.92

$3.12 ₩4,236

-8.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 CA$3.45

$1.16 ₩1,577

115.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 CA$98.4

$44.79 ₩60.7K

59.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 CA$3.43

$3.56 ₩4,821

-30.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.36

$0.58 ₩793

194.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.91 CA$31.59

$8.88 ₩12.0K

158.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.58

$1.45 ₩1,964

-20.69%

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

$28.1K CA$38.7K

$29.1K ₩39.4M

-3.47%

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

$20.8K CA$28.7K

$28.1K ₩38.1M

-25.84%

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

$125 CA$173

$196 ₩266.4K

-36.31%

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

$44.17 CA$60.9

$34.49 ₩46.8K

28.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 CA$77.8

$19.80 ₩26.8K

185.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.00 CA$49.65

$57.0 ₩77.3K

-36.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 CA$25.78

$16.05 ₩21.8K

16.51%

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 CA$15.10

$11.04 ₩15.0K

-0.82%

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

$424 CA$585

$1,891 ₩2.6M

-77.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K CA$24.1K

$22.0K ₩29.9M

-20.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 CA$73.8

$56.3 ₩76.4K

-4.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.33 CA$51.5

$32.45 ₩44.0K

15.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 CA$114

$68.2 ₩92.5K

20.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$126

$79.4 ₩107.7K

14.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 CA$1,637

$865 ₩1.2M

37.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 CA$1,494

$601 ₩814.8K

80.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 CA$2,785

$2,497 ₩3.4M

-19.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,980 CA$2,731

$1,225 ₩1.7M

61.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,287 CA$5,912

$28.2K ₩38.2M

-84.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,655 CA$5,041

$11.3K ₩15.4M

-67.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,073 CA$4,237

$3,486 ₩4.7M

-11.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

4.08

22.30%

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

Last update for St. Thomas: August 30, 2026

Last update for Seoul: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,187 in St. Thomas 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 13% 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 $64.0 in St. Thomas versus $66.0 in Seoul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $464 – making St. Thomas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 34% more than Seoul, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,515 per month in St. Thomas 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 59% less in Seoul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $424 per month in St. Thomas 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 St. Thomas at $2,344. 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.