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 $2,626 per month in United States vs $1,391 in South Korea, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,830 per month in United States vs $2,185 in South Korea, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,033 per month in United States vs $2,978 in South Korea, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is about 89% higher than in 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 90%, South Korea by 1%.

The regional cost range is wider in United States ($986–$5,298) than in South Korea ($1,043–$1,783), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.83 $19.83

$7.51 ₩10.1K

164.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 $78.8

$44.70 ₩59.9K

76.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 $12.19

$6.66 ₩8,926

83.03%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$3.98 ₩5,343

40.45%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$1.64 ₩2,195

69.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.78 ₩1,047

179.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.69 ₩4,946

58.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 $8.02

$4.45 ₩5,962

80.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$2.18 ₩2,927

-50.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.88 ₩3,857

27.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$3.36 ₩4,506

38.69%

Eggs

$4.20 $4.20

$3.21 ₩4,308

30.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 $12.78

$14.62 ₩19.6K

-12.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$8.88 ₩11.9K

39.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.90 $16.90

$24.65 ₩33.1K

-31.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$8.27 ₩11.1K

-36.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$3.44 ₩4,616

-51.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$6.32 ₩8,478

-31.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.87 ₩7,866

-15.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.93 ₩5,264

-28.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.80 ₩3,751

11.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.69 ₩3,610

-18.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.17 ₩1,571

93.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.35 $10.35

$3.27 ₩4,384

216.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$14.71 ₩19.7K

0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.14 ₩2,870

-2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.99 ₩4,011

22.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.08 ₩1,450

120.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 $64.5

$45.55 ₩61.1K

41.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.42 ₩4,588

3.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.65 ₩867

186.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.34 $30.34

$8.69 ₩11.7K

249.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.32 ₩1,774

-24.24%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$29.8K ₩40.0M

19.22%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$30.2K ₩40.4M

-14.23%

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

$222 $222

$200 ₩268.7K

10.90%

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

$61.1 $61.1

$39.60 ₩53.1K

54.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.7 $74.7

$22.91 ₩30.7K

225.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.49 $44.49

$56.2 ₩75.4K

-20.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.35 $22.35

$16.03 ₩21.5K

39.43%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 $15.03

$11.10 ₩14.9K

35.41%

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

$1,431 $1,431

$912 ₩1.2M

56.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K $25.9K

$23.0K ₩30.8M

12.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 $53.6

$56.5 ₩75.8K

-5.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.46 $43.46

$43.05 ₩57.7K

0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 $91.5

$77.7 ₩104.2K

17.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$95.8 ₩128.4K

18.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$587 ₩786.7K

178.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$406 ₩544.2K

227.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,606 $2,606

$1,536 ₩2.1M

69.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,206 $2,206

$900 ₩1.2M

145.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,323 $3,323

$16.0K ₩21.4M

-79.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,653 $2,653

$8,144 ₩10.9M

-67.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 $4,306

$2,365 ₩3.2M

82.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

4.21

47.51%

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

Last update for United States: September 7, 2026

Last update for South Korea: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,604 in United States vs $430 in South Korea. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,360 in Columbia, TN and $891 in Seoul.

Average salary: $4,526 in United States vs $2,116 in South Korea. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 273% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 83% more in United States.

Public transport is 125% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 114% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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 122% 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 122% 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.