Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Suji-gu and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Suji-gu: $1,362 a month against $1,829 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Suji-gu, South Korea
Seoul, South Korea
Suji-gu
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,362
/mo nomad
Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,829
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Suji-gu 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 Suji-gu and in Seoul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,362 per month in Suji-gu vs $1,829 in Seoul, rent included.

  • Suji-gu $1,362
  • Seoul $1,829

A couple spends around $2,251 per month in Suji-gu vs $2,973 in Seoul, rent included.

  • Suji-gu $2,251
  • Seoul $2,973

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Suji-gu vs $4,116 in Seoul, rent included.

  • Suji-gu $3,139
  • Seoul $4,116

Suji-gu is about 26% cheaper than Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Suji-gu
Seoul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.86 ₩7,854
$8.87 ₩11.9K
-33.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.38 ₩46.1K
$69.4 ₩93.1K
-50.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.87 ₩9,209
$7.50 ₩10.1K
-8.40%
Cappuccino
$3.71 ₩4,977
$4.04 ₩5,418
-8.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 ₩2,049
$1.56 ₩2,087
-1.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 ₩826
$0.73 ₩983
-15.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.54 ₩4,743
$3.66 ₩4,900
-3.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 ₩5,951
$5.88 ₩7,879
-24.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Suji-gu
Seoul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ₩2,705
$2.08 ₩2,790
-2.88%
White Bread (500g)
$3.05 ₩4,090
$3.01 ₩4,034
1.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.63 ₩3,520
$4.18 ₩5,608
-37.08%
Eggs
$3.26 ₩4,363
$3.63 ₩4,871
-10.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.46 ₩20.7K
$17.87 ₩24.0K
-13.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.41 ₩14.0K
$10.32 ₩13.8K
0.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.99 ₩14.7K
$26.17 ₩35.1K
-58.01%
Apples (1kg)
$6.85 ₩9,176
$7.42 ₩9,942
-7.68%
Banana (1kg)
$2.43 ₩3,261
$3.45 ₩4,627
-29.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 ₩6,050
$5.60 ₩7,502
-19.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.28 ₩8,415
$6.29 ₩8,429
-0.16%
Potato (1kg)
$3.35 ₩4,491
$3.60 ₩4,829
-6.94%
Onion (1kg)
$2.50 ₩3,356
$2.51 ₩3,360
-0.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.07 ₩2,778
$2.77 ₩3,718
-25.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 ₩1,528
$1.14 ₩1,529
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.30 ₩4,422
$3.42 ₩4,588
-3.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.76 ₩18.4K
$18.60 ₩24.9K
-26.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.30 ₩3,088
$2.30 ₩3,090
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 ₩4,285
$3.34 ₩4,480
-4.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Suji-gu
Seoul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.09 ₩1,459
$1.12 ₩1,501
-2.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$46.78 ₩62.7K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.67 ₩4,915
$3.60 ₩4,825
1.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ₩757
$0.60 ₩807
-5.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.90 ₩11.9K
$8.87 ₩11.9K
0.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ₩1,791
$1.49 ₩1,998
-10.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K ₩39.9M
$29.7K ₩39.8M
0.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.9K ₩37.4M
$28.0K ₩37.5M
-0.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suji-gu
Seoul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$211 ₩283.3K
$216 ₩289.3K
-2.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.23 ₩47.2K
$34.52 ₩46.3K
2.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.77 ₩27.8K
$20.34 ₩27.3K
2.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Suji-gu
Seoul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.66 ₩65.2K
$59.2 ₩79.4K
-17.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.08 ₩17.5K
$15.93 ₩21.4K
-17.89%
Cinema Ticket
$11.11 ₩14.9K
$11.01 ₩14.8K
0.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Suji-gu
Seoul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$447 ₩599.1K
$1,962 ₩2.6M
-77.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K ₩23.6M
$26.3K ₩35.2M
-33.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Suji-gu
Seoul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.8 ₩84.2K
$62.3 ₩83.5K
0.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.96 ₩44.2K
$33.82 ₩45.3K
-2.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.3 ₩91.6K
$67.9 ₩91.0K
0.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.5 ₩107.9K
$82.9 ₩111.1K
-2.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Suji-gu
Seoul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$536 ₩718.2K
$918 ₩1.2M
-41.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$369 ₩495.1K
$654 ₩876.2K
-43.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,386 ₩1.9M
$3,093 ₩4.1M
-55.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,061 ₩1.4M
$1,457 ₩2.0M
-27.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,456 ₩8.7M
$28.4K ₩38.1M
-77.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,213 ₩8.3M
$11.4K ₩15.3M
-45.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Suji-gu
Seoul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,132 ₩1.5M
$3,496 ₩4.7M
-67.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
4.08
-

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

Last update for Suji-gu: November 3, 2026

Last update for Seoul: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Suji-gu
$386
Seoul
$474 22.6% $87
Accommodation & Living
Suji-gu
$369
Seoul
$654 77% $284
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suji-gu
$267
Seoul
$271 1.3% $3.4
Eating Out
Suji-gu
$147
Seoul
$181 23.1% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Suji-gu
$110
Seoul
$111 1% $1.1
Sport & Entertainment
Suji-gu
$71
Seoul
$81 14.6% $10
Getting Around
Suji-gu
$11 *
Seoul
$58 434% $47

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $536 in Suji-gu versus $918 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 in Seoul are about 3.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Suji-gu versus $69 in Seoul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $474 – making Suji-gu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Suji-gu
🇰🇷 Seoul
🕒 Local time
14:05 2:05 PM
14:05 2:05 PM
Same time as Suji-gu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
374,948
9,509,458 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1,341 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,509 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Suji-gu Seoul 29 km
From you
  • Suji-gu
  • 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
Suji-gu vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Suji-gu or Seoul?
Seoul costs about 34% more than Suji-gu, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Suji-gu and in Seoul?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,043 per month in Suji-gu and $2,744 in Seoul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Suji-gu or Seoul?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Suji-gu, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $536 there versus $918 in Seoul.
How much does it cost to live in Suji-gu compared to Seoul?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,362 in Suji-gu and $1,829 in Seoul. That makes Suji-gu about 26% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Suji-gu and in Seoul?
Kindergarten costs $447 per month in Suji-gu and $1,962 in Seoul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Suji-gu or in Seoul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Suji-gu, where all-in costs run around $1,362, than in Seoul at $1,829. In Suji-gu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Suji-gu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Suji-gu compared to Seoul?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Suji-gu or to Seoul?
If budget matters most, go with Suji-gu. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seoul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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