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Miami 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.

Miami, FL vs Seoul, KR at a glance — Seoul, KR is 25% cheaper than Miami, FL overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $900/mo versus $2,600/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 37%.

$/ year

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

$56,352 / year

Seoul, KR is 25% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Seoul, KR vs Miami, FL)

  • Housing-35%
  • Food & groceries-14%
  • Transport-47%
  • Utilities-17%
  • Healthcare-32%
  • Goods & services-8%

◎ How Miami, FL and Seoul, KR compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Miami, FLSeoul, KR

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

▤ Full comparison

Miami, FLSeoul, KR
Cost of living
Overall cost index11284
Housing13890
Food9985
Transport10355
Utilities9680
Healthcare9665
Goods & services10395
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$2,600/mo$900/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,900/mo$650/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$5,000/mo$1,900/mo
Buy price / m² centre$7,000$12,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$893$1,189
Inexpensive meal$20$8
Monthly transit pass$112$45
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)37%45%
VAT / sales tax0%10%
Social security (employee)7.7%—
Corporate tax21%24%
Capital gains20%—
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$4,300/mo$2,500/mo
Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP)$86,977✓$61,259✓
Minimum wage$1,257/mo✓$1,500/mo
GDP per capita$90,027✓$35,563✓
Inflation (annual)—2.3%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoYes
English proficiencyNativeModerate
Coworking spaces7040
Time zoneUTC-5UTC+9
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)5973
Safety index4578
Healthcare index7682
Pollution index4555
Internet speed200 Mbps220 Mbps
Walkability6075
Public transport5092
Family-friendly5868
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$470/mo—
Life expectancy79 yr✓84 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighLow
Climate
January avg+20 °C-2 °C
July avg+29 °C+25 °C
Sunny days / year248200
Rainfall / year1,570 mm1,400 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h2 h

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

✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Miami vs Seoul — in your currency

MiamiSeoul
1-bed rent, city centre$2,600$900
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,900$650
Inexpensive meal$20$8
Monthly transit pass$112$45
Utilities (monthly)$180$80

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Miami

No state income tax, beaches and a booming Latin-American business scene — humid, and rents have soared.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-5
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
45/100
Climate
❄ 20°C · ☀ 29°C · 248 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Brickell · Wynwood · Coconut Grove

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 Miami to Seoul: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Miami to Seoul, your cost of living will be roughly 25% cheaper. Seoul’s cost-of-living index is 84 versus 112 for Miami (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Miami cheaper than Seoul?

Seoul is about 25% cheaper than Miami overall — its cost-of-living index is 84 versus 112 for Miami.

Which is more expensive, Miami or Seoul?

Miami is more expensive than Seoul. Its cost-of-living index is 112 vs 84 (US = 100) — about 33% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Miami or Seoul?

Rent is cheaper in Seoul — about $900/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,600 in Miami.

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Miami is worth about $56,352 in Seoul. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Miami or Seoul?

United States has the lower top income-tax rate — 37% versus 45% in South Korea.

◷ More comparisons from Miami

How we calculate these figures →

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