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Florence vs Seoul

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Florence, IT vs Seoul, KR at a glance — Seoul, KR is 14% cheaper than Florence, IT overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $900/mo versus $900/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 43%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Seoul, KR, you'd need

$64,218 / year

Seoul, KR is 14% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Seoul, KR vs Florence, IT)

  • Housing-5%
  • Food & groceries-18%
  • Transport-29%
  • Utilities-32%
  • Healthcare-19%
  • Goods & services-10%

How Florence, IT and Seoul, KR compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Florence, ITSeoul, KR

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

Full comparison

Florence, ITSeoul, KR
Cost of living
Overall cost index9884
Housing9590
Food10485
Transport7855
Utilities11880
Healthcare8065
Goods & services10695
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$900/mo$900/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$680/mo$650/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$1,700/mo$1,900/mo
Buy price / m² centre$4,800$12,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$1,018$1,189
Inexpensive meal$15$8
Monthly transit pass$40$45
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)43%45%
VAT / sales tax22%10%
Corporate tax24%24%
Capital gains26%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$1,900/mo$2,500/mo
Minimum wage$1,500/mo
GDP per capita$43,309$35,563
Inflation (annual)1.5%2.3%
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaYesYes
English proficiencyModerateModerate
Coworking spaces1840
Time zoneUTC+1UTC+9
Quality of life
Safety index6078
Healthcare index8082
Pollution index4855
Internet speed120 Mbps220 Mbps
Walkability8475
Public transport6892
Family-friendly6668
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Life expectancy84 yr84 yr
LGBTQ+ acceptanceModerateLow
Climate
January avg+7 °C-2 °C
July avg+26 °C+25 °C
Sunny days / year240200
Rainfall / year830 mm1,400 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h2 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Italy vs South Korea. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

Good to know before you move to Florence

An open-air museum in the Tuscan hills — Renaissance art, Chianti country on the doorstep and a walkable historic core. Tourism keeps the centre pricey and busy, but salaries are modest and it runs cheaper than Milan or Rome overall.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
Italian
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
120 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
60/100
Climate
❄ 7°C · ☀ 26°C · 240 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F/L · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Oltrarno · Santa Croce · San Marco · Campo di Marte

Good to know before you move to Seoul

A hyper-modern megacity with the world's best transit and internet, K-culture everywhere and remarkable safety. The costs are Western-tier, the work culture intense and the jeonse deposits huge — but a new workation visa is opening the door to nomads.

Currency
South Korean won (₩ KRW)
Languages
Korean
Time zone
UTC+9
Internet
220 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
78/100
Climate
❄ -2°C · ☀ 25°C · 200 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
C/F · 220V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Gangnam · Itaewon · Hongdae · Seongsu

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Florence to Seoul: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Florence to Seoul, your cost of living will be roughly 14% cheaper. Seoul’s cost-of-living index is 84 versus 98 for Florence (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Florence cheaper than Seoul?

Seoul is about 14% cheaper than Florence overall — its cost-of-living index is 84 versus 98 for Florence.

How much do you need to earn in Seoul to live like in Florence?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Florence is worth about $64,218 in Seoul. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Florence or Seoul?

Italy has the lower top income-tax rate — 43% versus 45% in South Korea.

More comparisons from Florence

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.