South Korea vs United Arab Emirates - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

South Korea United Arab Emirates
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1116
$2025
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3042
$4864
🏠 One person rent
$466
$1361
🏘️ Family rent
$1019
$2797
🍽️ Food expenses
$454
$408
🚐 Transport expenses
$93.9
$125
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$2217
$3498
💸 GDP per capita
$33121
$49041
😃 Human freedom index
8.23
5.9
❤️ Life expectancy
82.7
79.2
👮 Corruption perceptions index
64
68
🌐 English speaking %
20%
65%
🎓 Higher education
87
68
😀 Quality of life
84
79
🏙️ Population
51.5M
9.89M

The average cost of living in South Korea ($1116) is 45% less expensive than in the United Arab Emirates ($2025). South Korea ranked 64th vs 14th for the United Arab Emirates in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 2 months in South Korea compared to 1.7 months in the United Arab Emirates. Ranked 23rd and 29th best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in South Korea vs United Arab Emirates infographic

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Prices in South Korea vs the United Arab Emirates

We calculate prices for South Korea and the United Arab Emirates as a population-weighted mean of 87 and 9 cities, respectively. Since large cities tend to have a higher cost of living, it's better to visit specific city pages below for more relevant information.

South Korea United Arab Emirates
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$6.8
$9.37
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$35.8
$51.7
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.46
$9
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.21
$11
 Cappuccino
$3.5
$5.56
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.53
$1.07
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$484
$1480
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$320
$1070
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1204
$3301
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$767
$2335
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$93.7
$113
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$145
$174
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$20.1
$95.4
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.52%
4.73%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$10274
$5794
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$6790
$3621
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.02
$1.68
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$42
$59.2
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$8.77
$9.38
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.15
$0.78
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.01
$1.84
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.89
$1.32
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.8
$2.03
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.01
$2.88
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.8
$9.98
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.28
$8.27
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$26.5
$10.7
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.94
$2.25
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.23
$1.73
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.68
$1.79
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.28
$1.44
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.8
$1.11
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.78
$1.22
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.72
$0.4
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.32
$2.19
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$16.7
$13.3
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.03
$2.36
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.12
$6.12
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$4.67
$6.97
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.24
$5.26
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$2.2
$3.03
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.07
$3.33
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$48.6
$69.9
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$9.93
$13.1
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$42.5
$72.2
💇 Haircut, simple
$7.71
$8.5
👖 Brand Jeans
$64.9
$58.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$78.9
$97.2
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$407
$679
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$18055
$10373

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cities Comparison in South Korea vs the United Arab Emirates

More countries to compare

Cost of Living in Popular cities

In South Korea

City Cost of living Population
Seoul
$1334
9.67M
Busan
$1060
3.45M
Incheon
$1092
2.94M
Daegu
$995
2.38M
Suwon
$1022
1.23M
Daejeon
$992
1.48M
Gwangju
$1101
1.49M
Ulsan
$1059
1.13M
Cheongju
$936
852K
Seongnam
$1400
919K
Yongin
$1127
1.08M
Changwon
$1075
1.01M
Hwaseong
$1089
941K
Goyang
$1171
1.06M
Namyangju
$1129
732K
Gimhae
$959
534K
Siheung
$1283
520K
Jeju Island
$1080
678K
Bucheon
$1163
772K
Pyeongtaek
$984
590K
Cheonan
$1151
657K
Pohang
$988
504K
Uijeongbu
$955
463K
Ansan
$1070
623K
Paju
$1075
498K
Gwangju
$1165
397K
Jeju
$1037
492K
Hanam
$1161
330K
Sejong
$1019
386K
Gunsan
$1005
275K

In the United Arab Emirates

City Cost of living Population
Dubai
$2379
3.33M
Abu Dhabi
$1828
1.48M
Al Ain
$1844
767K
Sharjah
$1494
1.25M
Ajman
$2240
490K
Fujairah
$1239
119K
Ras al-Khaimah
$1540
116K
Umm al-Quwain
$1196
44.4K
Madinat Zayed
$1721
29.1K