Moving to South Korea from Nigeria
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Nigeria to South Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Nigeria to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 2.8 times more expensive than Nigeria overall. A NGN102,877,500 salary in Nigeria would need to be roughly ₩157,893,200 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 91°F in Abuja, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Nigeria to South Korea.
What does your salary buy?
NGN102,877,500 → ₩157,893,200
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 2.4 times more
Groceries
pay 2.0 times more
Transportation
pay 25.2% more
Housing
pay 85.4% more
Childcare
pay 7.5 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.1 times more
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 Nigeria to South Korea, based on official data.
people moved from Nigeria 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
- · · ·
-
26.1,816
Nigeria
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Nigeria 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
South Korea generally does better on safety, though Nigeria leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Nigeria generally does better on environment, though South Korea leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Nigeria leads in water stress level.
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
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Nigeria leads in top income tax 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
South Korea performs significantly better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria, 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 | Abuja | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abuja | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) |
| May | 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) |
| Jul | 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) |
| Sep | 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) |
| Oct | 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) |
| Dec | 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
Nigerian Meteorological Agency,
Korea Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nigeria 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.
Nigeria passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa Required
South Korea passport holder visiting Nigeria
Visa Online (e-Visa)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 Nigeria?
No — South Korea is on average about 40% more expensive than Nigeria. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to South Korea?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₩39,473,300 in South Korea on a NGN102,877,500 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, 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?
South Korea generally does better on safety, though Nigeria leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 21.7 in Nigeria. About 64% of people in South Korea feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Nigeria?
Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 3.9 in Nigeria. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nigeria: 38).
What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Nigeria?
The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 91°F in Abuja. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Abuja gets 48.1 in.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Nigeria, the official language is English.
