✦ Compare
Seoul vs
Sydney
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 Sydney, AU, you'd need
$113,793 / year
Sydney, AU is 52% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (Sydney, AU vs Seoul, KR)
- Housing+80%
- Food & groceries+35%
- Transport+91%
- Utilities+38%
- Healthcare+46%
- Goods & services+26%
▤ Full comparison
| Seoul, KR | Sydney, AU | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 84 | 128 |
| Housing | 90 | 162 |
| Food | 85 | 115 |
| Transport | 55 | 105 |
| Utilities | 80 | 110 |
| Healthcare | 65 | 95 |
| Goods & services | 95 | 120 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $900/mo | $2,200/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $650/mo | $1,650/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $1,900/mo | $4,200/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $12,000 | $12,000 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $1,189 | $784 |
| Inexpensive meal | $8 | $18 |
| Monthly transit pass | $45 | $130 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 45% |
| VAT / sales tax | 10% | 10% |
| Corporate tax | 24% | 30% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $2,500/mo | $3,900/mo |
| Minimum wage | $1,500/mo | $2,600/mo |
| GDP per capita | $35,563 | $65,130 |
| Inflation (annual) | 2.3% | 2.9% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | Yes | No |
| English proficiency | Moderate | Native |
| Coworking spaces | 40 | 90 |
| Time zone | UTC+9 | UTC+10 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 78 | 74 |
| Healthcare index | 82 | 85 |
| Pollution index | 55 | 30 |
| Internet speed | 220 Mbps | 90 Mbps |
| Walkability | 75 | 78 |
| Public transport | 92 | 80 |
| Family-friendly | 68 | 76 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Life expectancy | 84 yr | 83 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | Low | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | -2 °C | +23 °C |
| July avg | +25 °C | +13 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 200 | 236 |
| Rainfall / year | 1,400 mm | 1,210 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 2 h | 3 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: South Korea vs Australia. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Seoul to Sydney: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Seoul to Sydney, your cost of living will be roughly 52% more expensive. Sydney’s cost-of-living index is 128 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 Sydney?
Sydney is about 52% more expensive than Seoul overall — its cost-of-living index is 128 versus 84 for Seoul.
How much do you need to earn in Sydney to live like in Seoul?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Seoul is worth about $113,793 in Sydney. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Seoul or Sydney?
South Korea has the lower top income-tax rate — 45% versus 45% in Australia.
◷ More comparisons from Seoul
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.