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Seoul vs Sitges

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

Seoul, KR vs Sitges, ES at a glance — Sitges, ES is 26% more expensive than Seoul, KR overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,300/mo versus $900/mo. Top income tax: 47% vs 45%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Sitges, ES, you'd need

$94,209 / year

Sitges, ES is 26% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Sitges, ES vs Seoul, KR)

  • Housing+42%
  • Food & groceries+18%
  • Transport+31%
  • Utilities+38%
  • Healthcare+23%
  • Goods & services+9%

◎ How Seoul, KR and Sitges, ES compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Seoul, KRSitges, ES

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

▤ Full comparison

Seoul, KRSitges, ES
Cost of living
Overall cost index84106
Housing90128
Food85100
Transport5572
Utilities80110
Healthcare6580
Goods & services95104
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$900/mo$1,300/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$650/mo—
Rent, 3-bed centre$1,900/mo—
Buy price / m² centre$12,000—
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$1,189$947
Inexpensive meal$8—
Monthly transit pass$45—
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)45%47%
VAT / sales tax10%21%
Social security (employee)—6.4%
Corporate tax24%25%
Capital gains—28%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$2,500/mo$1,900/mo
Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP)$61,259✓$57,779✓
Minimum wage$1,500/mo$1,652/mo✓
GDP per capita$35,563✓$38,627✓
Inflation (annual)2.3%✓2.7%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaYesYes
English proficiencyModerate—
Coworking spaces40—
Time zoneUTC+9—
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)73—
Safety index78—
Healthcare index82—
Pollution index55—
Internet speed220 Mbps—
Walkability75—
Public transport92—
Family-friendly68—
Tap waterSafe to drink—
Life expectancy84 yr✓84 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceLowHigh
Climate
January avg-2 °C—
July avg+25 °C—
Sunny days / year200—
Rainfall / year1,400 mm—
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub2 h—

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

✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Seoul vs Sitges — in your currency

SeoulSitges
1-bed rent, city centre$900$1,300
1-bed rent, outside centre$650$975

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

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

Good to know before you move to Sitges

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
Spanish
Power
F · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Seoul to Sitges: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Seoul to Sitges, your cost of living will be roughly 26% more expensive. Sitges’s cost-of-living index is 106 versus 84 for Seoul (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Seoul cheaper than Sitges?

Sitges is about 26% more expensive than Seoul overall — its cost-of-living index is 106 versus 84 for Seoul.

Which is more expensive, Seoul or Sitges?

Sitges is more expensive than Seoul. Its cost-of-living index is 106 vs 84 (US = 100) — about 26% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Seoul or Sitges?

Rent is cheaper in Seoul — about $900/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,300 in Sitges.

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Seoul is worth about $94,209 in Sitges. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Seoul or Sitges?

South Korea has the lower top income-tax rate — 45% versus 47% in Spain.

◷ More comparisons from Seoul

How we calculate these figures →

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