Kathmandu vs Seoul Cost of Living
Kathmandu (Nepal) · Overall index 19.7 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 171% more expensive than Kathmandu.
- Rent in Seoul is 299% more expensive than in Kathmandu.
- Transport in Seoul is 194% more expensive than in Kathmandu.
| Item | Kathmandu | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +299% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $337 | $1,128 | +235% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $227 | $885 | +290% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $549 | $2,631 | +379% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $390 | $1,576 | +304% |
| Groceries | +150% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.41 | $0.97 | +137% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.06 | $3.03 | +186% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.36 | $3.33 | +145% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.46 | $3.32 | +127% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.18 | $9.47 | +127% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $3.96 | $8.39 | +112% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $4.88 | $14.8 | +203% |
| Apples (1kg) | $1.41 | $4.15 | +194% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.59 | $1.53 | +159% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.35 | $3.36 | +149% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $1.53 | $3.73 | +144% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $0.82 | $2.22 | +171% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.74 | $1.86 | +151% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.76 | $1.71 | +125% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.74 | $1.67 | +126% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $4.27 | $11.7 | +174% |
| Transport | +194% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.55 | $1.68 | +205% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $27.6 | $68.9 | +150% |
| Taxi, base fare | $0.88 | $2.76 | +214% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.4 | $1.34 | +235% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.22 | $0.53 | +141% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $5,793 | $18,844 | +225% |
| Dining out | +194% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $5.27 | $14.8 | +181% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $26.2 | $84.8 | +224% |
| Fast food combo meal | $2.65 | $7.96 | +200% |
| Cappuccino | $1.14 | $3.11 | +173% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.63 | $1.89 | +200% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $1.46 | $4.53 | +210% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2 | $5.53 | +177% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.49 | $1.43 | +192% |
| Telecom | +105% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $21.1 | $45.1 | +114% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $23.7 | $47.3 | +100% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.11 | $0.22 | +100% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $5.46 | $11.3 | +107% |
| Utilities & household | +145% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $52.8 | $130 | +146% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.06 | $0.16 | +167% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.45 | $3.13 | +116% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.43 | $1.03 | +140% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $6.03 | $15.9 | +164% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $24.1 | $60.9 | +153% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $4.8 | $9.46 | +97% |
| Men's haircut | $9.08 | $22.9 | +152% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $6.48 | $16.6 | +156% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $551 | $1,561 | +183% |
2,952 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs