Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and South Korea Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and South Korea

Name: South Korea
Address: KR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,643 per month in United States vs $1,427 in South Korea, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $2,251 in South Korea, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,070 per month in United States vs $3,075 in South Korea, rent included.

United States costs about 85% more than South Korea on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both United States and South Korea are pricier than the global median – United States by 97%, South Korea by 6%.

United States has a wider regional cost range ($1,343–$5,081) than South Korea ($1,229–$1,742), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$7.25 ₩11.0K

176.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$44.44 ₩67.3K

71.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$5.82 ₩8,813

96.22%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$3.68 ₩5,580

46.47%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$1.64 ₩2,483

55.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.82 ₩1,238

148.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.57 ₩5,414

71.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$4.83 ₩7,312

48.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.22 ₩3,368

-53.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.06 ₩4,644

19.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.10 ₩4,696

52.58%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$3.05 ₩4,627

43.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$14.09 ₩21.3K

-9.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$9.31 ₩14.1K

33.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$29.86 ₩45.2K

-45.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$8.05 ₩12.2K

-32.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$3.44 ₩5,219

-52.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$6.07 ₩9,199

-24.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$6.02 ₩9,128

-18.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.68 ₩5,577

-20.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.85 ₩4,325

9.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.55 ₩3,858

-11.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.17 ₩1,768

96.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$3.22 ₩4,882

207.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$16.72 ₩25.3K

-9.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.12 ₩3,207

-9.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.85 ₩4,317

28.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.08 ₩1,641

129.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$46.10 ₩69.8K

40.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.27 ₩4,952

17.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.53 ₩805

232.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$8.70 ₩13.2K

251.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.23 ₩1,870

-21.95%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$27.2K ₩41.3M

11.89%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$23.6K ₩35.8M

11.58%

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

$204 $204

$167 ₩252.5K

22.54%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$41.34 ₩62.6K

38.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$22.43 ₩34.0K

217.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$51.4 ₩77.9K

-9.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$19.69 ₩29.8K

12.34%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$10.87 ₩16.5K

27.32%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$380 ₩576.0K

263.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$22.7K ₩34.5M

-0.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$59.6 ₩90.3K

-11.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$48.44 ₩73.4K

-10.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$79.5 ₩120.4K

13.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$108 ₩163.7K

5.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$615 ₩931.2K

187.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$411 ₩622.1K

255.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$1,557 ₩2.4M

81.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$976 ₩1.5M

147.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$13.5K ₩20.5M

-75.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$7,411 ₩11.2M

-64.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$2,077 ₩3.1M

110.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

4.2

55.00%

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for South Korea: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,637 in United States vs $456 in South Korea. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,591 in Washington, DC and $957 in Seoul.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $1,954 in South Korea. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 259% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 83% more in United States.

Public transport is 108% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 130% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

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

United States vs South Korea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Korea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 116% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in South Korea, contributing to the overall 116% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in South Korea, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

South Korea is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.