Cost of Living Comparison Between Uijeongbu and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Uijeongbu and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,240 per month in Uijeongbu vs $1,789 in Seoul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,011 per month in Uijeongbu vs $2,909 in Seoul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,782 per month in Uijeongbu vs $4,028 in Seoul, rent included.

Uijeongbu is about 31% cheaper than Seoul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Uijeongbu sits 7% below the global median, while Seoul is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 ₩8,580

$8.78 ₩13.0K

-33.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 ₩80.2K

$56.2 ₩83.0K

-3.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ₩8,556

$6.39 ₩9,451

-9.39%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ₩4,933

$3.91 ₩5,786

-14.58%

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

$1.13 ₩1,669

$1.72 ₩2,541

-34.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₩1,253

$0.78 ₩1,157

8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ₩3,277

$3.72 ₩5,502

-40.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₩4,282

$5.72 ₩8,463

-49.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,313

$2.14 ₩3,160

4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 ₩5,159

$3.40 ₩5,027

2.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 ₩4,742

$3.20 ₩4,730

0.31%

Eggs

$3.18 ₩4,706

$3.14 ₩4,647

1.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 ₩21.5K

$14.40 ₩21.3K

0.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.79 ₩15.9K

$10.94 ₩16.2K

-1.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.37 ₩50.8K

$34.84 ₩51.5K

-1.35%

Apples (1kg)

$7.79 ₩11.5K

$7.70 ₩11.4K

1.17%

Banana (1kg)

$3.43 ₩5,077

$3.56 ₩5,269

-3.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.65 ₩8,355

$5.53 ₩8,176

2.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.53 ₩9,651

$6.36 ₩9,403

2.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.99 ₩5,894

$3.90 ₩5,773

2.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,400

$2.97 ₩4,394

0.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩3,894

$2.62 ₩3,868

0.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,706

$1.33 ₩1,959

-13.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₩5,034

$3.27 ₩4,835

3.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.16 ₩22.4K

$19.59 ₩29.0K

-22.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,484

$2.45 ₩3,616

-3.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₩5,007

$3.23 ₩4,775

4.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,643

$1.12 ₩1,663

-0.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.19 ₩68.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ₩5,241

$3.57 ₩5,274

-0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩776

$0.53 ₩781

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 ₩12.9K

$9.03 ₩13.4K

-3.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,851

$1.20 ₩1,768

4.17%

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

$27.9K ₩41.3M

$27.8K ₩41.1M

0.47%

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

$24.6K ₩36.4M

$25.1K ₩37.1M

-1.94%

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

$145 ₩214.8K

$166 ₩245.2K

-12.40%

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

$34.88 ₩51.6K

$34.94 ₩51.7K

-0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.29 ₩33.0K

$21.79 ₩32.2K

2.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.72 ₩70.5K

$58.3 ₩86.2K

-18.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.72 ₩35.1K

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 ₩16.2K

$10.91 ₩16.1K

0.18%

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

$407 ₩602.3K

$422 ₩623.2K

-3.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₩34.4M

$23.3K ₩34.5M

-0.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ₩87.7K

$58.5 ₩86.4K

1.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.72 ₩70.6K

$47.92 ₩70.8K

-0.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 ₩119.5K

$79.7 ₩117.8K

1.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩171.9K

$116 ₩171.0K

0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 ₩376.0K

$964 ₩1.4M

-73.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 ₩331.8K

$601 ₩888.2K

-62.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 ₩708.8K

$2,578 ₩3.8M

-81.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 ₩589.8K

$1,320 ₩2.0M

-69.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,304 ₩12.3M

$18.4K ₩27.2M

-54.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,354 ₩7.9M

$9,851 ₩14.6M

-45.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,005 ₩3.0M

$2,988 ₩4.4M

-32.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Uijeongbu: April 20, 2026

Last update for Seoul: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $254 in Uijeongbu versus $964 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 49% higher in Seoul, 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 $54 in Uijeongbu versus $56 in Seoul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $489 vs $499 – making Uijeongbu 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

Uijeongbu vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 44% more than Uijeongbu, 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 $1,860 per month in Uijeongbu and $2,684 in Seoul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,240 in Uijeongbu and $1,789 in Seoul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $407 per month in Uijeongbu and $422 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 Uijeongbu, where all-in costs run around $1,240, than in Seoul at $1,789. In Uijeongbu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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