{"id":20395,"date":"2024-04-03T17:21:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T11:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/learn\/?p=20395"},"modified":"2024-04-03T17:21:00","modified_gmt":"2024-04-03T11:51:00","slug":"cost-of-living-in-seoul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/learn\/cost-of-living-in-seoul\/","title":{"rendered":"Cost of Living in Seoul: Updated Prices, Other Cities Comparison"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Seoul is the capital of South Korea<\/strong>. It is officially known as Seoul Special City. Seoul, located in extreme East Asia is known for its culture, heritage, cuisine, architecture, technology, business and natural beauty. The average cost of living<\/strong> in Seoul for a single person is around KRW 1,557,110 per month without rent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seoul justifies its name as a special city because of all its remarkable features. It offers a perfect balance of modern and traditional culture, excellent quality education and unique life experiences within a reasonable budget. If you wish to know more about the cost of living in Seoul for international students continue reading the blog to find out more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Cost of Living in Seoul Overview<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The average overall cost of living in Seoul for an international student is around KRW 1,557,110 per month excluding the rent.\u00a0However, the average cost of rent in Seoul is approximately KRW 1,185,105 per month around the city centre. It covers expenses like accommodation, food, transportation, utilities, healthcare, and entertainment under it. Let’s take a look at these individual living costs one by one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cost<\/strong> of Transportation in Seoul<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The cost of transportation in Seoul depends on your travel duration and average travel time of a month. Usually, Korean spends around KRW 61,000 on the regular monthly pass, which comes under the overall cost of living in Seoul. The cost of purchasing your vehicle depends on the brand of car you are buying. It ranges from KRW 35,000,000 – KRW 38,000,000.\u00a0Here’s a general breakdown of other transportation costs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mode of Transport<\/strong><\/td>Approx.<\/strong> Cost<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
One-way Ticket (Local Transport)<\/td>KRW 1,450<\/td><\/tr>
Monthly Pass (Regular Price)<\/td>KRW 60,000<\/td><\/tr>
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)<\/td>KRW 4,800<\/td><\/tr>
Taxi 1 km (Normal Tariff)<\/td>KRW 900<\/td><\/tr>
Taxi 1 hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)<\/td>KRW 12,000<\/td><\/tr>
Gasoline (1 litre)<\/td>KRW 1,700<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Source: numbeo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Also Read:<\/strong> Cost of Living in Stuttgart: A Comprehensive Guide on Stuttgart\u2019s Expense<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cost<\/strong><\/strong> of Grocery in Seoul<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Seoul follows effectively a healthy lifestyle and is known for its diet culture. The city has the lowest obesity rate. Furthermore, the cost of food in soul at a regular restaurant is around KRW 8,000 and the cost of grocery items ranges between KRW 2,000 to KRW 7,000. These grocery costs can impact the cost of living in Seoul as it is a part of daily expenses. Here’s a list of groceries with their cost:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grocery Item<\/strong><\/td>Approx. cost<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Milk (regular), (1 litre)<\/td>KRW 2,920<\/td><\/tr>
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500 g)<\/td>KRW 4,191<\/td><\/tr>
Rice (white), (1 kg)<\/td>KRW 4531<\/td><\/tr>
Eggs (regular) (12)<\/td>KRW 4,392<\/td><\/tr>
Local Cheese (1 kg)<\/td>KRW 16,240<\/td><\/tr>
Apples (1 kg)<\/td>KRW 9,357<\/td><\/tr>
Banana (1 kg)<\/td>KRW 4,790<\/td><\/tr>
Oranges (1 kg)<\/td>KRW 7,629<\/td><\/tr>
Tomato (1 kg)<\/td>KRW 8000<\/td><\/tr>
Onion (1 kg)<\/td>KRW 4,275<\/td><\/tr>
Lettuce (1 head)<\/td>KRW 3,309<\/td><\/tr>
Water (1.5 litre bottle)<\/td>KRW 1,516<\/td><\/tr>
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range)<\/td>KRW 25,000<\/td><\/tr>
Domestic Beer (0.5 litre bottle)<\/td>KRW 3,342<\/td><\/tr>
Imported Beer (0.33 litre bottle)<\/td>KRW 3,863<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Source: numbeo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Utility Expenses in Seoul<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Seoul being a metropolitan city is comparatively more expensive than other cities in South Korea. The city is still quite affordable than many European cities. Moreover, South Koreans spend around KRW 245,000 on basic utilities (inclusive of all expenses like gas, water, electricity and more). The basic cost of utility in Seoul is relatively low compared to the cost of living in Seoul. Here’s what other utilities cost:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Utility<\/strong><\/td>Approx. Monthly Cost<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 85m2<\/sup> Apartment<\/td>KRW 245,357<\/td><\/tr>
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data<\/td>KRW 60,000<\/td><\/tr>
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable\/ADSL)<\/td>KRW 32,000<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Source: numbeo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Accommodation Cost<\/strong> in Seoul<\/strong> <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rent and accommodation expenses depend highly on the location of your stay. Some metropolitan areas are more expensive than others. The average monthly rent of 1 bedroom apartment in Seoul is KRW 1,185,105 in the city area. The accommodation or dormitory expense is around KRW 792,150 – KRW 1,848,350. The accommodation cost in Seoul depends on your budget for the cost of living in Seoul and your lifestyle. Below the table, we have given the average apartment rent in the city and out of the city of Seoul:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Type of Accommodation<\/strong><\/td>Approx. Monthly Rent<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre<\/td>KRW 1,185,105<\/td><\/tr>
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre<\/td>KRW 717,391<\/td><\/tr>
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre<\/td>KRW 3,609,932<\/td><\/tr>
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre<\/td>KRW 1,961,776<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Source: numbeo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Healthcare Cost<\/strong> in Seoul<\/strong> <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Healthcare is one of the most integral factors while living in a foreign country. Seoul enables the residents to choose their own healthcare facilities and providers. There are two types of healthcare insurance schemes in South Korea. However, the cost of purchasing both private and public health insurance schemes is 14,000 KRW, which is included in the cost of living in Seoul’s budget. Below the table, we have given the average Healthcare Cost in Seoul for various categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Category<\/strong><\/td>Approx. Cost<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands)<\/td>KRW 5,748<\/td><\/tr>
1 box of antibiotics (12 doses)<\/td>KRW 6,336 <\/td><\/tr>
Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes)<\/td>KRW 32,756<\/td><\/tr>
1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob-gyn etc)<\/td>KRW 15,753 <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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