Living in Seoul

Seoul had 9,579,449 residents in March 2026 across 605.25 km². Households numbered 4,164,385 at the end of 2025, and 609 primary schools were listed for 2025. The city’s annual average temperature was 14.1°C in 2025.

Which South Korea-wide rules apply when you move to Seoul?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in South KoreaNational rates and thresholds that apply in Seoul.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

July 2026 practical estimates placed basic utilities for an 85 m² home at €143.08 per month, internet at €15.26 and an inexpensive restaurant meal at €7.38. A monthly estimate placed a mobile plan with at least 10 GB of data at €26 in July 2026. A monthly estimate placed a fitness-club membership at €44.26 in July 2026.

No city-level rent figure is published for Seoul. The available city-level cost figures remain below.

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Fitness club membership, monthly	44.26 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Seoul⁸Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Col Groceries Index Basket Eur Month	97.09 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo⁷Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	15.26 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Seoul⁸Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly	1,366 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Seoul⁸Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant	7.38 EUR	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Seoul⁸Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB	25.98 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Seoul⁸Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass	37.66 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo⁷Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home	143.1 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Seoul⁸Commercial estimate · Supplemental context

Worked out from these numbers

How international is the population?

2.9% of residents hold a foreign nationality — 275,049 people of 9,579,449 people. This counts nationality, not place of birth, so long-settled residents who naturalised are not in it.

Work and income

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Salary Net Avg Eur Month	2,682 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	Numbeo city cost-of-living page — /cities/kr/seoul/⁸Community estimate · Supplemental context

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Seoul. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Work24 public employment service — Public employment service

Ministry of Employment and Labor, Republic of Korea

Job Search

Search jobs

Open the South Korea service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Seoul. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Family and education

A monthly estimate placed private kindergarten fees at €1,366 in July 2026.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Primary School Count	609 schools	31 Dec 2025	Seoul 100 Statistics⁴Official

Safety

In 2024, the city had 302,174 crime incidents.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents	3,237 offences per 100,000	31 Dec 2024	Korean National Police Agency / Seoul Metropolitan Police / Statistics Korea — 2024 registered crime and population⁴Official
Total recorded incidents	302,174 incidents	31 Dec 2024	Seoul 100 Statistics⁴Official

Mobility and administration

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Destinations from nearest airport	13 count	3 Aug 2026	OpenFlights²Official
Nearest airport	GMP	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports³Official
Distance to nearest airport	17 km	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports³Official
Public transport monthly pass	37.66 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo⁷Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

Language courses and integration in Seoul

1 exact course-location record is linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally

1verified local records

Seoul Metropolitan Government Foreign Resident Centers

40 Dosin-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul

View official record

Check courses in Seoul How the country programme works

Exact city-linked record checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperature moved from −2°C in January to 26.1°C in August. The average August high was 30°C, while July precipitation was 414.4 mm. Annual PM2.5 was 25.4 µg/m³ in 2019. Monthly minimum temperatures ranged from −5.5°C in January to 22.9°C in August.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Average daytime high by month	Jan 2.1 · Feb 5.1 · Mar 11 · Apr 17.9 · May 23.6 · Jun 27.6 · Jul 29 · Aug 30 · Sep 26.2 · Oct 20.2 · Nov 11.9 · Dec 4.2 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV⁹Independent
Average night-time low by month	Jan -5.5 · Feb -3.2 · Mar 1.9 · Apr 8 · May 13.5 · Jun 18.7 · Jul 22.3 · Aug 22.9 · Sep 17.7 · Oct 10.6 · Nov 3.5 · Dec -3.4 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV⁹Independent
Average temperature by month	Jan -2 · Feb 0.7 · Mar 6.1 · Apr 12.6 · May 18.3 · Jun 22.7 · Jul 25.3 · Aug 26.1 · Sep 21.7 · Oct 15 · Nov 7.5 · Dec 0.2 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV⁹Independent
Average precipitation by month	Jan 16.8 · Feb 28.2 · Mar 36.9 · Apr 72.9 · May 103.6 · Jun 129.5 · Jul 414.4 · Aug 348.2 · Sep 141.5 · Oct 52.2 · Nov 51.1 · Dec 22.6 mm	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV⁹Independent
Average sunshine by month	Jan 169.6 · Feb 170.8 · Mar 198.2 · Apr 206.3 · May 223 · Jun 189.1 · Jul 123.6 · Aug 156.1 · Sep 179.7 · Oct 206.5 · Nov 157.3 · Dec 162.9 hours	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV⁹Independent
Annual mean temperature	14.1 °C	31 Dec 2025	Seoul 100 Statistics⁴Official

Which nearby places are linked to Seoul?

Official and functional links appear before nearby-only places.

junggu Administrative Part · 0.5 km¹

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

용산구 Administrative Part · 3.3 km¹

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

종로구 Administrative Part · 4.0 km¹

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

성동구 Administrative Part · 4.6 km¹

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

서대문구 Administrative Part · 4.9 km¹

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

성북구 Administrative Part · 5.6 km¹

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

동대문구 Administrative Part · 6.2 km¹

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

마포구 Administrative Part · 7.2 km¹

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Cities of a similar size in South Korea

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All South Korea cities

수원시1,185,770 residents 용인시1,090,211 residents 고양시1,057,438 residents 화성시998,746 residents 창원시(통합)986,273 residents 성남시902,344 residents

Population and city profile

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	605.3 km²	31 Dec 2025	Seoul 100 Statistics⁴Official
Foreign-resident share	3.96 %	31 Dec 2025	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)⁵Official
Foreign residents	275,049 people	31 Mar 2026	Seoul 100 Statistics⁴Official
Population	9,579,449 people	31 Mar 2026	Seoul 100 Statistics⁴Official

Population over time16 published observations, 2011–2026

Population fell 6.5% between 2011 and 2026, from 10,249,679 to 9,579,449.

International community in Seoul

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Citizenship

Persons recorded in the official KOSIS registered-foreigner population table; this is not the total resident population and is not interchangeable with resident citizenship. · 2025

Published group	People	Share
Ethnic Koreans from China	67,868	24.3%
China	67,780	24.2%
Vietnam	31,324	11.2%
Mongolia	12,402	4.4%
United States	11,641	4.2%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁶

Is Seoul a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker52%strong on legal route, weak on air quality · range 38–66%

Skilled employee64%strong on education, weak on work · range 53–75%

Student64%strong on education, weak on work · range 53–75%

Family53%strong on family, weak on housing · range 44–62%

Retirement49%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 36–62%

Foreign residents275,049 people31 Mar 2026Official source · Seoul 100 Statistics

Population9,579,449 people31 Mar 2026Official source · Seoul 100 Statistics

Annual mean temperature14.1 °C31 Dec 2025Official source · Seoul 100 Statistics

City area605.3 km²31 Dec 2025Official source · Seoul 100 Statistics

Fitness club membership, monthly44.26 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Commercial source · Lebenshaltungskosten in Seoul

Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited15.26 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Commercial source · Lebenshaltungskosten in Seoul

Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-09-05

Additional context

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Households	4,164,385 households	31 Dec 2025	Seoul 100 Statistics⁴Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Seoul under the national coverage rules.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How safe is Seoul?

Police recorded 3,237 offences per 100,000. This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Korean National Police Agency / Seoul Metropolitan Police / Statistics Korea — 2024 registered crime and population.

How many people live in Seoul?

The published population is 9,579,449 people. Source: Seoul 100 Statistics.

How many foreign residents live in Seoul?

275,049 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Seoul 100 Statistics.

How much is public transport in Seoul?

A monthly transport pass is 37.66 EUR/month. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Numbeo.

Is Seoul a good place to live?

Seoul may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Which nearby places are linked to Seoul?

junggu, 용산구, 종로구, 성동구, 서대문구 are linked in the current source-backed set. The relationship label distinguishes administrative, metropolitan, commuting and distance-only links.

How many people are in the Ethnic Koreans from China citizenship group in Seoul?

The official citizenship distribution records 67,868 people (24.3%) in the source-defined population for 2025. This is a citizenship measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Seoul, South Korea: salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/kr/seoul/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_seoul-south-korea-salary-cost-of-living_4a5028da4326,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Seoul, South Korea: salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/kr/seoul/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Seoul, South Korea: salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/kr/seoul/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

english.seoul.go.kr place coordinates english.seoul.go.kr · checked 2026-08-28
OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
Seoul 100 Statistics data.seoul.go.kr · checked 2026-07-22
Statistics Korea (KOSIS) kosis.kr · checked 2026-08-03
Statistics Korea / KOSIS citizenship distribution kosis.kr · checked 2026-08-28
Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03
Numbeo city cost-of-living page — /cities/kr/seoul/ Numbeo city cost-of-living page · de.numbeo.com · checked 2026-09-05
WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-26

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.