Moving to South Korea from Argentina

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Argentina to South Korea — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Argentina to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 47.0% more expensive than Argentina overall. A ARS110,887,500 salary in Argentina would need to be roughly ₩131,388,683 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Seoul averages 63°F vs 73°F in Buenos Aires, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Argentina to South Korea.

What does your salary buy?

ARS110,887,500 ₩131,388,683

To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 34.6% less

Groceries

pay 2.1 times more

Transportation

pay 20.2% more

Housing

pay 39.4% more

Childcare

pay 2.9 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 27.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ARS = 1.01 KRW (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Argentina to South Korea, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
107 ↓ 9% vs 2022

people moved from Argentina to South Korea · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to South Korea?

Top countries of origin for South Korea's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Argentina and South Korea stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AR
4.3
KR
0.5
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

AR
48%
KR
64%

South Korea performs significantly better than Argentina across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

AR
$3,089
KR
$5,081
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

AR
40.8
KR
25.2

Argentina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AR
29.0
KR
19.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AR
4.0t
KR
11.4t

Argentina generally does better on environment, though South Korea leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AR
24.6
KR
45.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AR
10.5%
KR
85.2%

South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Argentina leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AR
6.2%
KR
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AR
$26,500
KR
$50,600

South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Argentina leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AR
78.3 yrs
KR
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AR
9.3
KR
2.9

Argentina generally does better on family life, though South Korea leads in life expectancy.

Data: Federal Administration of Public Revenue, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Buenos Aires Rain: 48.7 in/yr (1237 mm)
73° / 56°F

Avg. annual high / low

Seoul Rain: 55.8 in/yr (1418 mm)
63° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Buenos Aires Seoul
Jan–Mar 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 67°/52°F (19°/11°C) 73°/56°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 64°/48°F (17°/9°C) 83°/70°F (28°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 78°/61°F (26°/16°C) 54°/38°F (12°/4°C)
View all months
Month Buenos Aires Seoul
Jan 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C) 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C)
Feb 84°/67°F (28.7°/19.2°C) 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C)
Mar 80°/64°F (26.8°/17.7°C) 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C)
Apr 73°/57°F (22.9°/13.8°C) 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C)
May 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.7°C) 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C)
Jun 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.1°C) 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C)
Jul 60°/45°F (15.3°/7.4°C) 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C)
Aug 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.8°C) 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C)
Sep 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.3°C) 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C)
Oct 73°/56°F (22.7°/13.3°C) 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C)
Nov 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C)
Dec 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.4°C) 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C)

Data: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, Korea Meteorological Administration Korea Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Argentina and South Korea. To live, work, or study long-term in South Korea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Korea's immigration authority.

Argentina passport

Argentina passport holder visiting South Korea

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Argentina passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter South Korea.
South Korea passport

South Korea passport holder visiting Argentina

Visa Free
South Korea passport holders can enter Argentina without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in South Korea than Argentina?

Day-to-day costs in South Korea run about 18% higher than Argentina on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to South Korea?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ARS110,887,500 comparable salary, that's around ₩32,847,171 in South Korea for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from South Korea?

With 45.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, South Korea can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Argentina and South Korea.

Is South Korea safe for expats?

South Korea performs significantly better than Argentina across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.3 in Argentina. About 64% of people in South Korea feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Argentina?

Argentina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 40.8 in Argentina. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Argentina: 79).

What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Argentina?

The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 73°F in Buenos Aires. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Buenos Aires gets 48.7 in.

What language do they speak in South Korea?

The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Argentina, the official languages are Guaraní and Spanish.

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At a Glance

AR KR
Population 46,245,668 51,844,834
Currency Argentine Peso (ARS) South Korean Won (₩)
Languages Guaraní, Spanish Korean
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +54 +82
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 112