Abu Dhabi vs Seoul Cost of Living
Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) · Overall index 56.8 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 6% cheaper than Abu Dhabi.
- Rent in Seoul is 29% cheaper than in Abu Dhabi.
- Telecom in Seoul is 6% cheaper than in Abu Dhabi.
| Item | Abu Dhabi | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -29% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,825 | $1,128 | -38% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,096 | $885 | -19% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,562 | $2,631 | -26% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,266 | $1,576 | -30% |
| Groceries | 0% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.99 | $0.97 | -2% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.88 | $3.03 | +5% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.33 | $3.33 | 0% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.51 | $3.32 | -5% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.5 | $9.47 | 0% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $8.9 | $8.39 | -6% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $13.9 | $14.8 | +6% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.68 | $4.15 | +13% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.56 | $1.53 | -2% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.88 | $3.36 | +17% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.18 | $3.73 | -11% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.26 | $2.22 | -2% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.08 | $1.86 | -11% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.77 | $1.71 | -3% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.82 | $1.67 | -8% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $9.73 | $11.7 | +20% |
| Transport | +5% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.46 | $1.68 | +15% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $71.8 | $68.9 | -4% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.36 | $2.76 | +17% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.19 | $1.34 | +13% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.56 | $0.53 | -5% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $19,060 | $18,844 | -1% |
| Dining out | +3% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $14.4 | $14.8 | +3% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $78.6 | $84.8 | +8% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.15 | $7.96 | +11% |
| Cappuccino | $3.65 | $3.11 | -15% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.61 | $1.89 | +17% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.18 | $4.53 | -13% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.04 | $5.53 | +10% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.3 | $1.43 | +10% |
| Telecom | -6% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $49.7 | $45.1 | -9% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $47.6 | $47.3 | -1% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.24 | $0.22 | -8% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $11.8 | $11.3 | -4% |
| Utilities & household | 0% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $134 | $130 | -3% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.14 | $0.16 | +14% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.11 | $3.13 | +1% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.99 | $1.03 | +4% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $15.5 | $15.9 | +3% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $60.3 | $60.9 | +1% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $12 | $9.46 | -21% |
| Men's haircut | $19.8 | $22.9 | +16% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $19.4 | $16.6 | -14% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,361 | $1,561 | +15% |
3,029 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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