Seoul vs Abu Dhabi Cost of Living
Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3 — Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) · Overall index 56.8
Summary
- Overall, Abu Dhabi is 7% more expensive than Seoul.
- Rent in Abu Dhabi is 40% more expensive than in Seoul.
- Telecom in Abu Dhabi is 6% more expensive than in Seoul.
| Item | Seoul | Abu Dhabi | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +40% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,128 | $1,825 | +62% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $885 | $1,096 | +24% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,631 | $3,562 | +35% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,576 | $2,266 | +44% |
| Groceries | 0% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.97 | $0.99 | +2% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.03 | $2.88 | -5% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.33 | $3.33 | 0% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.32 | $3.51 | +6% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.47 | $9.5 | 0% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $8.39 | $8.9 | +6% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.8 | $13.9 | -6% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.15 | $3.68 | -11% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.53 | $1.56 | +2% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.36 | $2.88 | -14% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.73 | $4.18 | +12% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.22 | $2.26 | +2% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.86 | $2.08 | +12% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.71 | $1.77 | +4% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.67 | $1.82 | +9% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $11.7 | $9.73 | -17% |
| Transport | -5% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.68 | $1.46 | -13% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $68.9 | $71.8 | +4% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.76 | $2.36 | -14% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.34 | $1.19 | -11% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.53 | $0.56 | +6% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $18,844 | $19,060 | +1% |
| Dining out | -3% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $14.8 | $14.4 | -3% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $84.8 | $78.6 | -7% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.96 | $7.15 | -10% |
| Cappuccino | $3.11 | $3.65 | +17% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.89 | $1.61 | -15% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.53 | $5.18 | +14% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.53 | $5.04 | -9% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.43 | $1.3 | -9% |
| Telecom | +6% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $45.1 | $49.7 | +10% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $47.3 | $47.6 | +1% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.22 | $0.24 | +9% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $11.3 | $11.8 | +4% |
| Utilities & household | 0% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $130 | $134 | +3% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.16 | $0.14 | -12% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.13 | $3.11 | -1% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.03 | $0.99 | -4% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $15.9 | $15.5 | -3% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $60.9 | $60.3 | -1% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.46 | $12 | +27% |
| Men's haircut | $22.9 | $19.8 | -14% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $16.6 | $19.4 | +17% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,561 | $1,361 | -13% |
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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