Cost of Living in South Korea

RESTAURANTS

Going hungry in South Korea is quite a task.

Everywhere you turn, there is always a place to eat.

Food is another major factor in the cost of living in Seoul and will usually be your biggest expense, and if not – then the second biggest for sure.

If you prefer to eat cheaply but want to eat out then it is more than possible to find delicious meals for around 6$.

MARKETS

As for food, if you cook it yourself, it will be considerably cheaper for you.

You can buy groceries in large quantities (it’s easy, just buy through any grocery online shop, and they will send them to your door.

Another option for fresh produce is buying them at open markets where you’ll find a variety of colorful fruit and vegetables.

TRANSPORTATION

Public transport will be your next biggest cost.

Train rides and bus rides are around 1$ each way, and this means that you can expect to spend around 2$ for every trip.

If traveling through any of the big cities, especially Seoul, driving is not recommended: the roads will be crammed with traffic jams.

Taxis are convenient, although pricey but they are sometimes the only practical way of reaching a place.

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Utilities are definitely expensive by this country’s standards.

If you’re living in an apartment that is on the larger side, like 85m2, you will be expected to pay somewhere around 150$ a month.

Internet and phone plan prices in South Korea vary greatly depending on what you are expecting.

The Internet can be as low as 22$ a month (100mbps) and as high as 50$ (1gbps).

SPORTS & LEISURE

Practicing sports or enjoying some gym or fitness time will be relatively expensive wherever you go.

In South Korea, at least, they’re not robbing you blind – it’s somewhere around 49$.

If you want to go to a cinema, a ticket for one seat costs around 9.5$ which is very expensive.

CLOTHING & SHOES

Keeping up with the latest trends, shoppers and boutique owners alike keep cramming the streets and markets every weekend and you can find everything you need here.

Shopping for clothing, however, isn’t cheap.

Sure, you can find quality jeans like Levi’s that cost less than 60$, yet in comparison to that, a simple shirt costing more than 40$ is definitely expensive.

Quality sneakers cost a bit above 75$.

RENT PER MONTH

One might argue that rent is definitely expensive here, especially if you’d like to rent somewhere in the city, but the truth is that the standard of living is so high in South Korea that people can afford this.

It might be cheaper to look at the apartments outside of city centers, where you would pay less than 400$ for a one-bedroom apartment.

HEALTHCARE

South Korea has universal public health insurance funded through payroll contributions of about 7 percent of salary, with optional private insurance costing roughly 50 to 120 USD per month.

Out-of-pocket expenses average around 500 to 900 USD per person per year, including medications and specialist care.

With average monthly salaries near 3,000 USD, healthcare costs are manageable for most residents.

EDUCATION

Public primary and secondary schools are tuition-free, with families paying for books, uniforms, meals, and supplies, around $500 per year.

Private schools and international schools charge $8,000 to $25,000 annually.

Public universities charge tuition of roughly $5,000 to $7,000 per year, while private universities cost $8,000 to $20,000 annually.

Students also pay for housing, food, transport, and textbooks.

Average monthly income is about $3,500, so public education is affordable, while private schooling and university costs are substantial.