Moving to South Korea from Australia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Australia to South Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Australia to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 23.3% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$107,450 salary in Australia would need to be roughly ₩85,222,679 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Australia to South Korea.
What does your salary buy?
A$107,450 → ₩85,222,679
To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 52.4% less
Groceries
pay 35.2% more
Transportation
pay 26.2% less
Housing
pay 46.1% less
Childcare
pay 32.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 33.2% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in South Korea cost about 25% less than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to South Korea
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Australia to South Korea, based on official data.
people moved from Australia to South Korea · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to South Korea?
Top countries of origin for South Korea's foreign-born residents.
- 803,011
- 177,274
- 159,264
- 68,050
- 64,942
- 55,601
- · · ·
-
19.5,604
Australia
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Australia to South Korea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia generally does better on safety, though South Korea leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Australia generally does better on environment, though South Korea leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Australia leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though South Korea leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Australia generally does better on family life, though South Korea leads in infant mortality.
Data: Australian Taxation Office, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Canberra | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
Korea Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia 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.
Australia passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa Free
South Korea passport holder visiting Australia
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Australia?
Yes — South Korea is on average about 24% cheaper than Australia. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to South Korea?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₩21,305,670 in South Korea on a A$107,450 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from South Korea?
Internet is rarely the blocker — South Korea has 45.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is South Korea safe for expats?
Australia generally does better on safety, though South Korea leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Australia?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 39.8 in Australia. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Australia, the official language is English.
