Moving to South Korea from Indiana

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Indiana to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 15.4% cheaper than Indiana. A $75,000 salary in Indiana would need to be roughly ₩98,868,070 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 ₩98,868,070

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 48.5% less

Groceries

pay 39.7% more

Transportation

pay 0.7% less

Housing

pay 50.4% less

Childcare

pay 48.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 17.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate:1 USD = 1535.29 KRW(June 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.

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 21% less than cities in Indiana.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Indiana 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 Indiana to South Korea.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of adults with obesity

IN
38.5%
KR
4.7%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

IN
88.5%
KR
98.0%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IN
2.7%
KR
2.6%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

IN
$59,083
KR
$50,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

IN
75.0 yrs
KR
83.0 yrs

South Korea performs significantly better than Indiana 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.

IndianapolisRain: 40.8 in/yr (1036 mm)
62°/44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsIndianapolisSeoul
Jan–Mar42°/26°F (6°/-3°C)43°/28°F (6°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun72°/53°F (22°/12°C)73°/56°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep81°/63°F (27°/17°C)83°/70°F (28°/21°C)
Oct–Dec51°/35°F (11°/2°C)54°/38°F (12°/4°C)
View all months
MonthIndianapolisSeoul
Jan35°/21°F (1.7°/-6.1°C)36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C)
Feb40°/24°F (4.4°/-4.4°C)41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C)
Mar51°/33°F (10.8°/0.8°C)52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C)
Apr63°/44°F (17.1°/6.4°C)64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C)
May72°/53°F (22.5°/11.7°C)74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C)
Jun81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C)82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C)
Jul84°/67°F (28.8°/19.2°C)84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C)
Aug83°/65°F (28.4°/18.3°C)86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C)
Sep77°/57°F (25.1°/13.9°C)79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C)
Oct64°/45°F (18.0°/7.3°C)68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C)
Nov52°/36°F (11.0°/2.3°C)53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C)
Dec38°/25°F (3.6°/-3.9°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 Indiana?

Yes — South Korea is on average about 14% cheaper than Indiana. 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 ₩24,717,018 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 Indiana?

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

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

The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 62°F in Indianapolis. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Indianapolis gets 40.8 in.

What language do they speak in South Korea?

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

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At a Glance

KR
Population6,483,80251,844,834
CurrencyUnited States Dollar ($)South Korean Won (₩)
LanguagesEnglishKorean
Driving sideRightRight
Calling code+1+82
Time zones111
Emergency number911112