Moving to South Korea from California
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from California to South Korea — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from California to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 35.4% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly ₩72,455,178 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 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from California to South Korea.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ₩72,455,178
To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 58.5% less
Groceries
pay 6.1% more
Transportation
pay 26.6% less
Housing
pay 63.4% less
Childcare
pay 63.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 44.7% 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 48% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from California to South Korea, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United States 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
-
4.68,050
United States
- 64,942
- 55,601
Key Indicator Comparison
How California and South Korea stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
South Korea performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
South Korea performs significantly better than California across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California generally does better on employment & economy, though South Korea leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
South Korea performs significantly better than California across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Korea Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa Free
South Korea passport holder visiting United States
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 California?
Generally yes: South Korea runs about 37% cheaper than California on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around ₩18,113,794 in South Korea for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Korea?
Working remotely from South Korea's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in California and South Korea.
How is healthcare in South Korea compared to California?
South Korea performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in South Korea compared to California?
The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
The official language in South Korea is Korean. In California, the official language is English.
