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Pune 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.

Pune, IN vs Seoul, KR at a glance — Seoul, KR is 126% more expensive than Pune, IN overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $900/mo versus $250/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 30%.

$/ year

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

$169,785 / year

Seoul, KR is 126% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Seoul, KR vs Pune, IN)

  • Housing+260%
  • Food & groceries+143%
  • Transport+83%
  • Utilities+67%
  • Healthcare+71%
  • Goods & services+90%

How Pune, IN and Seoul, KR compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Pune, INSeoul, KR

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

Full comparison

Pune, INSeoul, KR
Cost of living
Overall cost index3784
Housing2590
Food3585
Transport3055
Utilities4880
Healthcare3865
Goods & services5095
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$250/mo$900/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$160/mo$650/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$650/mo$1,900/mo
Buy price / m² centre$1,500$12,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$2,692$1,189
Inexpensive meal$3$8
Monthly transit pass$20$45
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)30%45%
VAT / sales tax18%10%
Corporate tax25%24%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$500/mo$2,500/mo
Minimum wage$150/mo$1,500/mo
GDP per capita$2,702$35,563
Inflation (annual)2.4%2.3%
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoYes
English proficiencyHighModerate
Coworking spaces4540
Time zoneUTC+5.5UTC+9
Quality of life
Safety index5878
Healthcare index6282
Pollution index6255
Internet speed50 Mbps220 Mbps
Walkability4575
Public transport4292
Family-friendly5868
Tap waterUse cautionSafe to drink
Health insurance$25/mo
Life expectancy72 yr84 yr
LGBTQ+ acceptanceLowLow
Climate
January avg+21 °C-2 °C
July avg+25 °C+25 °C
Sunny days / year250200
Rainfall / year720 mm1,400 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub3 h2 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: India 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 Pune

A booming education and IT hub a few hours inland from Mumbai, with a milder climate and a big student and tech-worker crowd. Costs are among the lowest of any major tech city worldwide; the trade-offs are worsening traffic and stretched infrastructure.

Currency
Indian rupee (₹ INR)
Languages
Hindi, English
Time zone
UTC+5.5
Internet
50 Mbps
English
Widely spoken
Safety
58/100
Climate
❄ 21°C · ☀ 25°C · 250 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Bottled recommended
Power
C/D/M · 230V
Driving
Left-hand side
Popular areas
Koregaon Park · Kalyani Nagar · Viman Nagar · Baner

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 Pune to Seoul: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Pune to Seoul, your cost of living will be roughly 126% more expensive. Seoul’s cost-of-living index is 84 versus 37 for Pune (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Pune cheaper than Seoul?

Seoul is about 126% more expensive than Pune overall — its cost-of-living index is 84 versus 37 for Pune.

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Pune is worth about $169,785 in Seoul. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Pune or Seoul?

India has the lower top income-tax rate — 30% versus 45% in South Korea.

More comparisons from Pune

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