Cost of Living · KR vs IN
🇰🇷 Seoul vs 🇮🇳 Bengaluru: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,390 in South Korea vs $423 in India — 69.6% cheaper.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in India
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: -74.96%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: -74.96%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: -74.96%
Closest to South Korea prices
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: -31.65%
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: -32.59%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): -32.69%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | South Korea | India | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $937 | $235 (20,444 INR) | -74.96% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $750 | $188 (16,354 INR) | -74.96% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $1,713 | $429 (37,382 INR) | -74.96% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $11.02 | $3.71 (323 INR) | -66.33% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $45.90 | $15.46 (1,347 INR) | -66.32% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $7.04 | $2.62 (228 INR) | -62.78% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.77 | $0.35 (31 INR) | -54.55% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.24 | $1.01 (88 INR) | -54.91% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $2.38 | $1.08 (94 INR) | -54.62% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $7.00 | $3.17 (276 INR) | -54.71% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $2.80 | $1.27 (111 INR) | -54.64% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $3.36 | $1.52 (132 INR) | -54.76% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $8.40 | $3.81 (332 INR) | -54.64% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.40 | $0.63 (55 INR) | -55% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $3.67 | $1.24 (108 INR) | -66.21% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $6.69 | $4.51 (393 INR) | -32.59% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $3.06 | $1.03 (90 INR) | -66.34% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.61 | $0.73 (64 INR) | -54.66% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $41.60 | $15.47 (1,348 INR) | -62.81% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.76 | $0.65 (57 INR) | -63.07% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $2.45 | $0.82 (71 INR) | -66.53% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.10 | $0.37 (32 INR) | -66.36% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.79 | $0.54 (47 INR) | -31.65% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $128 | $47.60 (4,149 INR) | -62.81% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $44.80 | $16.66 (1,452 INR) | -62.81% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $28.80 | $10.71 (933 INR) | -62.81% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $30.60 | $10.31 (899 INR) | -66.31% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $8.57 | $2.89 (252 INR) | -66.28% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $18.36 | $6.19 (540 INR) | -66.29% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $46.01 | $30.97 (2,699 INR) | -32.69% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $75.29 | $50.68 (4,417 INR) | -32.69% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $153 | $51.54 (4,492 INR) | -66.32% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much cheaper is India than South Korea?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $423 in India versus $1,390 in South Korea — 69.6% less. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in India?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $1.24 in India (≈ 108.08 INR), versus about $3.67 in South Korea.
- How much is rent in India compared to South Korea?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $235/month in India versus $937/month in South Korea (-74.96%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.