Chicago vs Seoul - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Chicago Seoul
🚶 Cost of living one person
$2667
$1461
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$6807
$4186
🏠 One person rent
$1579
$677
🏘️ Family rent
$3056
$1788
🍽️ Food expenses
$700
$526
🚐 Transport expenses
$205
$155
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$4901
$2981
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
18 km
🎓 Higher education
100
100
😀 Quality of life
96
94
🏙️ Population
2.75M
9.67M

The cost of living in Chicago is 83% more expensive than in Seoul. Cities ranked 483rd and 3861st ($2667 vs $1461) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 425th and 1st in the United States and South Korea, respectively. Check the United States vs South Korea comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.8 months in Chicago compared to 2 months in Seoul. Chicago ranked 3rd best city to live in the United States vs Seoul ranked 2nd in South Korea, while ranked 20th and 43rd among best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Chicago vs Seoul infographic

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Prices in Chicago vs Seoul

Prices for goods and services in Chicago and Seoul are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Chicago Seoul
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$21
$7.68
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$87.3
$40.5
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$11.7
$5.99
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$7.62
$3.79
 Cappuccino
$5.4
$3.91
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$3.12
$1.63
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1974
$827
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1280
$460
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3828
$2513
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$2594
$1348
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$102
$120
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$156
$184
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$59.1
$23.4
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.61%
5.14%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3554
$21201
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3158
$11781
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.49
$1.14
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$76.5
$47.5
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$16.6
$9.05
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.12
$1.27
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.02
$2.29
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.92
$3.23
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5
$3.3
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.69
$3.68
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.8
$13.3
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.8
$9.23
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$19.9
$38.3
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.97
$7.91
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.91
$3.75
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.81
$5.86
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.56
$6.13
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.34
$4.03
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.08
$3.25
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.93
$0.9
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.86
$2.43
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$14.8
$22.4
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.9
$2.76
🚬 Cigarette pack
$16.6
$3.42
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$11.6
$5.05
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$6.03
$5.98
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.65
$2.35
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.81
$3.13
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$63.1
$54.1
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$15
$11.5
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$126
$25.1
💇 Haircut, simple
$29.3
$10.4
👖 Brand Jeans
$62.2
$62.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$95.5
$91
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$2457
$410
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$19423
$21834

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2427
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2463
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2424
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2375
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2376
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2177
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2307
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2344
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2352
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2326
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2367
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2412
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2393
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2292
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2313
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2305
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2360
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$2358
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2292
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2268
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2292
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$1950
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2293
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2296
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2295
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$2224
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$1975
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2276
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2392
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2363
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2276
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2380
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2290
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2269
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2280
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2134
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2331
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$2002
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2274
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2357

Cities near Seoul

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 7.9 mi Guri
$1085
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1008
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$1038
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$1005
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$936
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$1074
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$1084
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1127
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$1087
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1068
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$1025
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$941
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$1003
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$966
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$988
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$1057
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$1020
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$990
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$970
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$1067
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$968
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$989
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1142
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1049
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$1025
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$1077
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1567
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$1036
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$1053
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$1041
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$839
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$1025
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$1140
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$1222
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$1027
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$1098
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$997
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$1111
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1562
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$1043