Moving to South Korea from Kuwait
What to Expect
Considering a move from Kuwait to South Korea? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Kuwait to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 61.2% more expensive than Kuwait overall. A KWD23,224 salary in Kuwait would need to be roughly ₩124,853,709 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 94°F in Kuwait City, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kuwait and South Korea.
What does your salary buy?
KWD23,224 → ₩124,853,709
To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 68.4% more
Groceries
pay 2.7 times more
Transportation
pay 51.6% more
Housing
pay 16.1% more
Childcare
pay 2.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.4% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Kuwait to South Korea.
people moved from Kuwait 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
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Korea compared to Kuwait.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Kuwait generally does better on safety, though South Korea leads in road traffic deaths.
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 Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
South Korea performs significantly better than Kuwait across all environment metrics.
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
Kuwait 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
Kuwait performs better than South Korea across all employment & economy metrics.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
South Korea generally does better on family life, though Kuwait leads in education spending.
Data: Ministry of Finance, Kuwait, 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 | Kuwait City | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuwait City | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) |
| May | 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) |
| Jun | 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) |
| Jul | 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) |
| Sep | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) |
| Oct | 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) |
| Dec | 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Department,
Korea Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kuwait 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.
Kuwait passport holder visiting South Korea
Electronic Travel Authorisation
South Korea passport holder visiting Kuwait
Visa on ArrivalData: 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 Kuwait?
On average South Korea is around 11% pricier than Kuwait, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to South Korea?
Budget about ₩31,213,427 for 3 months in South Korea (based on a KWD23,224 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Korea?
Connectivity is usually fine (South Korea: 45.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does South Korea offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is South Korea safe for expats?
Kuwait generally does better on safety, though South Korea leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Kuwait.
How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Kuwait?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 22.9 in Kuwait. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kuwait: 78).
What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Kuwait?
The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 94°F in Kuwait City. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Kuwait City gets 4.6 in.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Kuwait, the official language is Arabic.
