Moving to South Korea from Canada
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Canada to South Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Canada to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 14.7% cheaper than Canada overall. A CA$106,459 salary in Canada would need to be roughly ₩90,314,970 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 52°F in Ottawa, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Canada to South Korea.
What does your salary buy?
CA$106,459 → ₩90,314,970
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 45.9% less
Groceries
pay 29.2% more
Transportation
pay 16.4% less
Housing
pay 43.5% less
Childcare
pay 11.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 22.6% 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 22% less than cities in Canada.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Canada to South Korea, based on official data.
people moved from Canada 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
- · · ·
-
14.19,435
Canada
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Canada to South Korea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Canada 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 Canada leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Canada 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
Canada generally does better on infrastructure, though South Korea leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Canada 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
Canada generally does better on family life, though South Korea leads in infant mortality.
Data: Canada Revenue Agency, 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 | Ottawa | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
Korea Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada 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.
Canada passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa Free
South Korea passport holder visiting Canada
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 Canada?
Yes — South Korea is on average about 22% cheaper than Canada. 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 ₩22,578,742 in South Korea on a CA$106,459 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?
Canada 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 2.3 in Canada. About 64% of people in South Korea feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Canada?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 25.0 in Canada. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
