🇰🇷 East & South Asia
Seoul, South Korea
East & South Asia ✓ Live Numbeo data See South Korea country profile →
Ultra-connected megacity; rentals often use large 'jeonse' key-money deposits
Climate
Rainfall, humidity, and the best months to visit: see the full Seoul climate profile →
Internet speeds
Measured medians from 47,839 real speedtests within 10 km of the city center (Q1 2026) — not advertised ISP numbers.
| Download | Upload | Latency | Tests | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed broadband | 289 Mbps | 238 Mbps | 5 ms | 33,823 |
| Mobile | 480 Mbps | 57.1 Mbps | 25 ms | 14,016 |
Speedtest® by Ookla Global Fixed and Mobile Network Performance Maps, © Ookla. Accessed 2026-07-18. Your building's wiring and ISP plan matter more than the city median. Compare all cities in the Internet Speed Explorer →
Cost of living breakdown
USD converted from local prices at baseline rates (1 USD = 1,508.85 KRW, 2026-06-16). Use the Cost of Living Explorer for live exchange rates.
| 💰 Monthly budgets | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Individual (excl. rent) | $997 | KRW 1,505K |
| Individual all-in (excl. rent + 1BR center) | $1,854 | — |
| Family of 4 (excl. rent) | $3,655 | KRW 5,516K |
| Average net salary (after tax) | $3,069 | KRW 4,631K |
| 🏢 Rent & property | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR city center | $857 | KRW 1,293K |
| 1BR outside center | $611 | KRW 921,765 |
| 3BR city center | $2,351 | KRW 3,547K |
| 3BR outside center | $1,215 | KRW 1,833K |
| Buy price / sqft — center | $2,500 | KRW 3,772K |
| Buy price / sqft — outside | $950 | KRW 1,433K |
| 🍽️ Food & dining | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap meal (1 person) | $8.62 | KRW 13,000 |
| Mid-range dinner (2 people) | $59.65 | KRW 90,000 |
| Fast food combo | $6.63 | KRW 10,000 |
| Beef (per lb) | $10.38 | KRW 15,666 |
| Taxi (per mile) | $0.91 | KRW 1,368 |
| ⚡ Utilities & lifestyle | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Basic utilities / mo | $161 | KRW 243,646 |
| Phone plan / mo | $31 | KRW 46,527 |
| Internet / mo | $18 | KRW 26,900 |
| Gym membership / mo | $55 | KRW 83,333 |
| Cinema ticket | $9.94 | KRW 15,000 |
| Preschool / mo | $1,573 | KRW 2,373K |
| International school / yr | $20,051 | KRW 30,254K |
| New car (Corolla equiv.) | $26,093 | KRW 39,370K |
Visa, taxes & legal in South Korea
Country-level research that applies to living in Seoul — each row links to the full comparison dashboard.
| Tourist entry (US passport) | 90 days visa-free (K-ETA for some nationalities) |
| Digital nomad visa | Workation Visa (F-1-D) → pilot, extended into 2026 — income requirement 2x Korean GNI per capita → ₩85M/yr (~$62-70k) after tax → steep — compare all countries → |
| Path to permanent residency | No → temporary status only |
| Tax if you become resident | Worldwide system · top rate 45% top + local — tax breakdown → |
| Family-law exposure (payer) | Obligation 5/10 · cross-border collection 4/10 — legal detail → |
Everything about the country in one place: South Korea profile for American nomads →
Location
Compare with nearby cities
Data last updated · Source: Numbeo