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Seoul vs Suwon cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฐ๐ท Seoul
๐ฐ๐ท Suwon
At a glance
- Where Suwon is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (40%โ), Entry ticket (33%โ), Massage (29%โ)
- Where Seoul is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (80%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Seoul is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: getting around โ Seoul 1 vs Suwon 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Seoul | Suwon | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฉ 10,000$7.25 | โฉ 9,500$6.88 | similar |
| Street food1 item | โฉ 4,000$2.9 | โฉ 4,000$2.9 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฉ 30,000$21.7 | โฉ 22,000$15.9 | Suwon โ27% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | โฉ 4,700$3.41 | Suwon โ15% |
| Beerone bottle | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | โฉ 5,000$3.62 | Suwon โ9% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฉ 15,000$10.9 | โฉ 12,000$8.7 | Suwon โ20% |
| Bottled water | โฉ 1,000$0.72 | โฉ 1,100$0.8 | Seoul โ9% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฉ 8,500$6.16 | โฉ 8,000$5.8 | Suwon โ6% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | โฉ 5,100$3.7 | Suwon โ7% |
| Transitone ride | โฉ 1,550$1.12 | โฉ 1,600$1.16 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | โฉ 10,000$7.25 | Seoul โ80% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฉ 110,000$79.7 | โฉ 90,000$65.2 | Suwon โ18% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฉ 1,000,000$725 | โฉ 600,000$435 | Suwon โ40% |
| Laundry | โฉ 9,000$6.52 | โฉ 9,000$6.52 | similar |
| SIM card1 week data | โฉ 30,000$21.7 | โฉ 33,000$23.9 | Seoul โ9% |
| Haircutcut | โฉ 18,000$13 | โฉ 13,000$9.42 | Suwon โ28% |
| Massage1 hour | โฉ 70,000$50.7 | โฉ 50,000$36.2 | Suwon โ29% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฉ 70,000$50.7 | โฉ 50,000$36.2 | Suwon โ29% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฉ 3,000$2.17 | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | Suwon โ33% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Seoul or Suwon?
Suwon is 22% cheaper than Seoul. Daily budget $150 vs $125; a month $2,762 vs $1,999.
Which is easier to travel, Seoul or Suwon?
Seoul is easier: Seoul 1.4/5 vs Suwon 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Seoul and Suwon?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Seoul is about $2,762 and Suwon about $1,999 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.