Moving to South Korea from Illinois
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Illinois to South Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Illinois to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 31.8% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly ₩67,700,000 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is South Korea cheaper than Illinois?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 51.3% less
Groceries
pay 29.3% more
Transportation
pay 13.0% less
Housing
pay 56.9% less
Childcare
pay 40.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 26.3% 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.
What salary do you need in South Korea?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ₩67,700,000
To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea
Calculate with your salary →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 Illinois.
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 Illinois to South Korea, based on official data.
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Illinois to South Korea.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
South Korea performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
South Korea performs significantly better than Illinois 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
Illinois 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 Illinois across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), The World Factbook (2016), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in South Korea vs Illinois
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Chicago | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/22°F (3°/-6°C) | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/32°F (9°/0°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Chicago | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/17°F (-0.6°/-8.6°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 35°/20°F (1.8°/-6.6°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 47°/29°F (8.1°/-1.6°C) | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 59°/39°F (15.0°/3.8°C) | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) |
| May | 70°/48°F (21.1°/9.1°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) |
| Jun | 80°/58°F (26.5°/14.5°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) |
| Jul | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 82°/63°F (27.7°/17.2°C) | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) |
| Sep | 75°/54°F (23.8°/12.4°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) |
| Oct | 62°/43°F (16.8°/6.0°C) | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 48°/32°F (9.0°/0.2°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) |
| Dec | 35°/21°F (1.6°/-6.3°C) | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Korea Meteorological Administration
Can you move from Illinois to South Korea?
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 Illinois?
Yes — South Korea is on average about 32% cheaper than Illinois. 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 ₩16,925,000 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 Illinois?
South Korea performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 59°F in Chicago. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Chicago gets 36.9 in.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Illinois, the official language is English.
