✦ Compare
Istanbul 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.
To keep the same standard of living in Seoul, KR, you'd need
$116,784 / year
Seoul, KR is 56% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (Seoul, KR vs Istanbul, TR)
- Housing+64%
- Food & groceries+63%
- Transport+38%
- Utilities+33%
- Healthcare+44%
- Goods & services+58%
▤ Full comparison
| Istanbul, TR | Seoul, KR | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 54 | 84 |
| Housing | 55 | 90 |
| Food | 52 | 85 |
| Transport | 40 | 55 |
| Utilities | 60 | 80 |
| Healthcare | 45 | 65 |
| Goods & services | 60 | 95 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $650/mo | $900/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $400/mo | $650/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $1,300/mo | $1,900/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $2,500 | $12,000 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $1,852 | $1,189 |
| Inexpensive meal | $6 | $8 |
| Monthly transit pass | $30 | $45 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 40% | 45% |
| VAT / sales tax | 20% | 10% |
| Social security (employee) | 15% | — |
| Corporate tax | 25% | 24% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $700/mo | $2,500/mo |
| Minimum wage | $600/mo | $1,500/mo |
| GDP per capita | $15,666 | $35,563 |
| Inflation (annual) | 44% | 2.3% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | Yes | Yes |
| English proficiency | Moderate | Moderate |
| Coworking spaces | 50 | 40 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 | UTC+9 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 58 | 78 |
| Healthcare index | 65 | 82 |
| Pollution index | 62 | 55 |
| Internet speed | 60 Mbps | 220 Mbps |
| Walkability | 70 | 75 |
| Public transport | 72 | 92 |
| Family-friendly | 60 | 68 |
| Tap water | Use caution | Safe to drink |
| Life expectancy | 78 yr | 84 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | Low | Low |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +6 °C | -2 °C |
| July avg | +24 °C | +25 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 190 | 200 |
| Rainfall / year | 810 mm | 1,400 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 3 h | 2 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Turkey vs South Korea. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Istanbul to Seoul: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Istanbul to Seoul, your cost of living will be roughly 56% more expensive. Seoul’s cost-of-living index is 84 versus 54 for Istanbul (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Istanbul cheaper than Seoul?
Seoul is about 56% more expensive than Istanbul overall — its cost-of-living index is 84 versus 54 for Istanbul.
How much do you need to earn in Seoul to live like in Istanbul?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Istanbul is worth about $116,784 in Seoul. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Istanbul or Seoul?
Turkey has the lower top income-tax rate — 40% versus 45% in South Korea.
◷ More comparisons from Istanbul
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.