How South Korea compares across key indices
Cost of Living
64 vs NYC
100 = NYC
Safety Index
94/100
Healthcare
77/100
Quality of Life
182/200
How far your money goes in South Korea
Cost of Living
64
100 = NYC baseline
Rent Index
48
100 = NYC rent
Groceries
64
100 = NYC groceries
Restaurant Prices
67
100 = NYC dining
How safe residents feel in South Korea - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
94/100
Crime Index
2/100
Lower is better
0 point drop from day to night
South Korea has 147 modeled cities; this view starts with 40 curated or popular options. Monthly costs for a single person range from $1,374 in Gyeongju to $1,746 in Seoul. Gyeongju leads on safety, scoring 94/100. Hanam ranks highest for quality of life at 183/200.
Gyeongju
$1,374/mo
Gyeongju
94/100
Hanam
183/200
Seoul
93/100
| City | Monthly Cost | Safety | Quality of Life | Healthcare | Pollution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul | $1,746 | 86/100 | 179/200 | 93/100 | 65 |
| Busan | $1,549 | 89/100 | 180/200 | 87/100 | 60 |
| Incheon | $1,543 | 89/100 | 180/200 | 87/100 | 60 |
| Daegu | $1,526 | 89/100 | 181/200 | 86/100 | 59 |
| Daejeon | $1,494 | 90/100 | 181/200 | 84/100 | 57 |
| Gwangju | $1,491 | 90/100 | 181/200 | 84/100 | 57 |
| Suwon | $1,482 | 91/100 | 181/200 | 84/100 | 56 |
| Ulsan | $1,475 | 91/100 | 182/200 | 83/100 | 56 |
| Goyang-si | $1,473 | 91/100 | 182/200 | 83/100 | 56 |
| Changwon | $1,470 | 91/100 | 182/200 | 83/100 | 56 |
| Seongnam-si | $1,463 | 91/100 | 182/200 | 83/100 | 55 |
| Cheongju-si | $1,457 | 91/100 | 182/200 | 83/100 | 55 |
| Bucheon-si | $1,457 | 91/100 | 182/200 | 83/100 | 55 |
| Cheonan | $1,440 | 92/100 | 182/200 | 82/100 | 54 |
| Hwaseong-si | $1,439 | 92/100 | 182/200 | 82/100 | 54 |
| Jeonju | $1,439 | 92/100 | 182/200 | 82/100 | 54 |
| Ansan-si | $1,437 | 92/100 | 182/200 | 82/100 | 54 |
| Anyang-si | $1,433 | 92/100 | 182/200 | 81/100 | 54 |
| Kimhae | $1,426 | 92/100 | 183/200 | 81/100 | 53 |
| Pohang | $1,421 | 93/100 | 183/200 | 81/100 | 53 |
| Jeju City | $1,421 | 93/100 | 183/200 | 81/100 | 53 |
| Uijeongbu-si | $1,419 | 93/100 | 183/200 | 81/100 | 53 |
| Masan | $1,412 | 93/100 | 183/200 | 80/100 | 52 |
| Gumi | $1,408 | 93/100 | 183/200 | 80/100 | 52 |
| Sejong | $1,406 | 93/100 | 183/200 | 80/100 | 52 |
| Pyeongtaek | $1,401 | 93/100 | 183/200 | 80/100 | 52 |
| Yangsan | $1,399 | 93/100 | 183/200 | 80/100 | 52 |
| Gwangmyeong | $1,399 | 93/100 | 183/200 | 80/100 | 52 |
| Wŏnju | $1,395 | 93/100 | 183/200 | 79/100 | 51 |
| Chinju | $1,390 | 94/100 | 183/200 | 79/100 | 51 |
| Iksan | $1,390 | 94/100 | 183/200 | 79/100 | 51 |
| Gunpo | $1,384 | 94/100 | 183/200 | 79/100 | 51 |
| Chuncheon | $1,384 | 94/100 | 183/200 | 79/100 | 51 |
| Suncheon | $1,383 | 94/100 | 183/200 | 79/100 | 51 |
| Yeosu | $1,380 | 94/100 | 183/200 | 79/100 | 51 |
| Mokpo | $1,380 | 94/100 | 183/200 | 79/100 | 51 |
| Gyeongsan-si | $1,380 | 94/100 | 183/200 | 79/100 | 50 |
| Gunsan | $1,380 | 94/100 | 183/200 | 79/100 | 50 |
| Hanam | $1,377 | 94/100 | 183/200 | 79/100 | 50 |
| Gyeongju | $1,374 | 94/100 | 183/200 | 78/100 | 50 |
Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.
Compare Cities Side by Side
Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life
Verified school profiles for families comparing language model, grade range, credentials, and admissions next steps in South Korea. Tuition appears only when published in verified public sources.
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0
Cities covered
3
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School records are maintained from direct school pages, public credential directories, public registry claims, and carefully labeled directory/community sources. Admissions, seat availability, and tuition can change quickly, so Freedom Abroad treats unpublished costs as “Contact school” instead of estimating.
Healthcare system overview for South Korea
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A portion of affiliate revenue is donated to UNHCR
Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in South Korea
Pollution Index
52/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
25.9ug/m3
Unhealthy for sensitive
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Common questions about living in South Korea, answered with data
South Korea has a cost of living index of 64 relative to New York City (100). It is moderately affordable compared to the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $1,315 in Sangju and reach $1,746 in Seoul.
Sangju is the most affordable city in South Korea in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $1,315 for a single person including rent. Donghae City is the next most affordable at $1,315/mo.
South Korea has a safety index of 94/100, making it very safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Gwangyang scores highest on safety at 95/100.
Sangju ranks highest for quality of life in South Korea, scoring 184/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $1,315/mo for a single person.
South Korea scores 77/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it excellent by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.
Yes. South Korea's cost of living is roughly 36% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 52% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.
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Cost of living, safety, school, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates or verified public records modeled from open sources. Data sources
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