Cost of Living & Salary Comparison 2026
Overall, Seoul is approximately 10% cheaper than Los Angeles based on our cost of living index. Los Angeles has a COLI of 76.3 (ranked #17 of 113 cities), while Seoul has a COLI of 68.9 (ranked #24).
When it comes to housing, one-bedroom apartment rent in Los Angeles averages $2,400/month compared to $1,200/month in Seoul. That makes Seoul approximately 50% cheaper for rent alone.
Seoul has lower total deductions (24.6%) compared to Los Angeles (30.3%), meaning you keep more of your gross salary in Seoul. When evaluating a relocation, remember that total deductions directly impact your take-home pay and should be weighed alongside cost of living differences.
Full breakdown of mandatory payroll deductions for a mid-range salary as a local employee in each city.
Rates shown for local employees. Expat deductions may differ — use the main converter for personalized calculations.
If you earn $75,000 in Los Angeles, you would need approximately ₩85,983,564 in Seoul to maintain the same purchasing power. That is 10% less thanks to lower cost of living.
COLI-scaled lifestyle equivalents of New York mid-range salaries — not local market pay. For verified/OECD local-market figures see salary pages.
| Job Title | Los Angeles (USD) | Seoul (KRW) |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor (General) | $137,340 | ₩157,453,102 |
| Software Engineer | $64,855 | ₩74,352,854 |
| Product Manager | $76,300 | ₩87,473,946 |
| Lawyer | $76,300 | ₩87,473,946 |
| Data Scientist | $72,485 | ₩83,100,248 |
| Marketing Manager | $54,936 | ₩62,981,241 |
| Teacher | $36,624 | ₩41,987,494 |
| Nurse | $44,254 | ₩50,734,889 |
These are COLI lifestyle equivalents of the New York mid baseline, not typical local market pay. See methodology and profession×city salary pages for market figures with source badges.
| Neighborhood | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Bel Air | 1.45x (+45%) |
| Malibu | 1.42x (+42%) |
| Beverly Hills | 1.40x (+40%) |
| Manhattan Beach | 1.30x (+30%) |
| Santa Monica | 1.25x (+25%) |
| Neighborhood | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Gangnam | 1.30x (+30%) |
| Seocho | 1.25x (+25%) |
| Myeongdong | 1.20x (+20%) |
| Bukchon | 1.18x (+18%) |
| Itaewon | 1.15x (+15%) |
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Open Salary ConverterLos Angeles is more expensive overall. Los Angeles has a COLI of 76.3 while Seoul has a COLI of 68.9, making Seoul approximately 10% cheaper.
To maintain the same standard of living as $75,000 in Los Angeles, you would need approximately ₩85,983,564 in Seoul.
Average one-bedroom rent in Los Angeles is $2,400/month compared to $1,200/month in Seoul. Seoul has lower rent by approximately 50%.
Seoul has lower total deductions (24.6%) compared to Los Angeles (30.3%), meaning you keep more of your gross salary in Seoul.
Cost of living indices (COLI) are benchmarked to New York City = 100 and derived from Numbeo and Expatistan crowd-sourced price surveys, cross-referenced with national statistics agencies. Rent data from Numbeo Property Prices.
Salary ranges are compiled from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OES), Glassdoor, and PayScale. Tax rates are approximate effective rates for mid-range earners based on OECD Taxing Wages and national tax authorities. Exchange rates from the European Central Bank. Neighborhood multipliers are estimated from local rental indices and property data.
Last updated: 2026-08-31. Data is refreshed periodically. All figures are estimates for informational purposes only.