β¦ Compare
Manchester 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
$57,629 / year
Seoul, KR is 23% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Seoul, KR vs Manchester, UK)
- Housing-24%
- Food & groceries-23%
- Transport-40%
- Utilities-34%
- Healthcare-24%
- Goods & services-14%
Median 1-bed rent
$1,100 /mo
Manchester, UK overview β
Median 1-bed rent
$900 /mo
Seoul, KR overview β
β How Manchester, UK and Seoul, KR compare
Index vs the US average β the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
β€ Full comparison
| Manchester, UK | Seoul, KR | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 109 | 84 |
| Housing | 118 | 90 |
| Food | 110 | 85 |
| Transport | 92 | 55 |
| Utilities | 122 | 80 |
| Healthcare | 85 | 65 |
| Goods & services | 110 | 95 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $1,100/mo | $900/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $820/mo | $650/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $2,100/mo | $1,900/mo |
| Buy price / mΒ² centre | $4,500 | $12,000 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $914 | $1,189 |
| Inexpensive meal | $18 | $8 |
| Monthly transit pass | $85 | $45 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 45% |
| VAT / sales tax | 20% | 10% |
| Social security (employee) | 8% | β |
| Corporate tax | 25% | 24% |
| Capital gains | 24% | β |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $2,900/mo | $2,500/mo |
| Minimum wage | $2,050/mo | $1,500/mo |
| GDP per capita | $57,602 | $35,563 |
| Inflation (annual) | 3.9% | 2.3% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | Yes |
| English proficiency | Native | Moderate |
| Coworking spaces | 40 | 40 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 | UTC+9 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 55 | 78 |
| Healthcare index | 80 | 82 |
| Pollution index | 42 | 55 |
| Internet speed | 140 Mbps | 220 Mbps |
| Walkability | 80 | 75 |
| Public transport | 72 | 92 |
| Family-friendly | 68 | 68 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Life expectancy | 81 yr | 84 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | Low |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +4 Β°C | -2 Β°C |
| July avg | +16 Β°C | +25 Β°C |
| Sunny days / year | 100 | 200 |
| Rainfall / year | 870 mm | 1,400 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1 h | 2 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: United Kingdom 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 Manchester
The capital of the UK's north β a music-and-football city reinventing itself as a fast-growing media and tech hub. Rents run roughly half of London's, the crowd is young and the nightlife serious; the trade-off is the famously grey, wet weather.
- Currency
- Pound sterling (Β£ GBP)
- Languages
- English
- Time zone
- UTC+0
- Internet
- 140 Mbps
- English
- Native language
- Safety
- 55/100
- Climate
- β 4Β°C Β· β 16Β°C Β· 100 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- G Β· 230V
- Driving
- Left-hand side
- Popular areas
- Northern Quarter Β· Ancoats Β· Didsbury Β· Chorlton
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 β but a new workation visa is opening the door to nomads.
- Currency
- South Korean won (β© KRW)
- Languages
- Korean
- Time zone
- UTC+9
- Internet
- 220 Mbps
- English
- Fairly common
- Safety
- 78/100
- Climate
- β -2Β°C Β· β 25Β°C Β· 200 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- C/F Β· 220V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Gangnam Β· Itaewon Β· Hongdae Β· Seongsu
Plan your move to Manchester
Everything you will book for the move β sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsNH Hotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- Tours & ticketsTiqets
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Flight compensationAirHelp
Sponsored
Plan your move to Seoul
Everything you will book for the move β sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Manchester to Seoul: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Manchester to Seoul, your cost of living will be roughly 23% cheaper. Seoulβs cost-of-living index is 84 versus 109 for Manchester (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income youβd need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Manchester cheaper than Seoul?
Seoul is about 23% cheaper than Manchester overall β its cost-of-living index is 84 versus 109 for Manchester.
How much do you need to earn in Seoul to live like in Manchester?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Manchester is worth about $57,629 in Seoul. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Seoul?
United Kingdom has the lower top income-tax rate β 45% versus 45% in South Korea.
β· More comparisons from Manchester
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.