Moving to South Korea from Delaware

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Delaware to South Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Delaware to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 28.5% cheaper than Delaware. A $75,000 salary in Delaware would need to be roughly ₩85,250,828 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Delaware to South Korea.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 ₩85,250,828

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 52.0% less

Groceries

pay 15.7% more

Transportation

pay 7.6% less

Housing

pay 53.4% less

Childcare

pay 67.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 34.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 1529.3 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?

How many people actually move from Delaware to South Korea, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
23,710 ↑ 10% vs 2022

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.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Delaware to South Korea.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

DE
38.4%
KR
4.7%

South Korea performs significantly better than Delaware across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

DE
91.5%
KR
98.0%

South Korea performs significantly better than Delaware across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

DE
5.1%
KR
2.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

DE
$80,523
KR
$50,600

Delaware generally does better on employment & economy, though South Korea leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

DE
76.7 yrs
KR
83.0 yrs

South Korea performs significantly better than Delaware 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.

Dover Rain: 46.1 in/yr (1170 mm)
66° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dover Seoul
Jan–Mar 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/54°F (24°/12°C) 73°/56°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/65°F (29°/18°C) 83°/70°F (28°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/40°F (15°/4°C) 54°/38°F (12°/4°C)
View all months
Month Dover Seoul
Jan 43°/27°F (6.3°/-2.7°C) 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C)
Feb 47°/29°F (8.3°/-1.7°C) 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C)
Mar 55°/36°F (12.7°/2.0°C) 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C)
Apr 66°/44°F (18.7°/6.8°C) 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C)
May 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C) 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C)
Jun 83°/63°F (28.4°/17.4°C) 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C)
Jul 87°/68°F (30.6°/20.2°C) 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C)
Aug 85°/67°F (29.6°/19.4°C) 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C)
Sep 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.6°C) 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C)
Oct 69°/49°F (20.4°/9.3°C) 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C)
Nov 58°/40°F (14.7°/4.3°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C)
Dec 47°/31°F (8.6°/-0.6°C) 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Korea Meteorological Administration 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

United States passport holder visiting South Korea

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

South Korea passport holder visiting United States

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

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 Delaware?

Yes — South Korea is on average about 26% cheaper than Delaware. 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 ₩21,312,707 in South Korea on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from South Korea?

Usually fine from major cities in South Korea. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Delaware?

South Korea performs significantly better than Delaware across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 66°F in Dover. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Dover gets 46.1 in.

What language do they speak in South Korea?

The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Delaware, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

KR
Population 897,934 51,844,834
Currency United States Dollar ($) South Korean Won (₩)
Languages English Korean
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +82
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 112