Moving to South Korea from Peru

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Peru to South Korea? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Peru to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 86.5% more expensive than Peru overall. A PEN255,045 salary in Peru would need to be roughly ₩181,140,795 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?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Peru and South Korea.

What does your salary buy?

PEN255,045 ₩181,140,795

To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 44.1% more

Groceries

pay 2.9 times more

Transportation

pay 38.5% more

Housing

pay 77.9% more

Childcare

pay 2.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 35.6% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PEN = 440.85 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?

What the data shows about people moving from Peru to South Korea.

Moved in 2023
202 ↑ 8% vs 2022

people moved from Peru 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

The numbers behind daily life in South Korea compared to Peru.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PE
5.7
KR
0.5
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

PE
39%
KR
64%

South Korea performs significantly better than Peru across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PE
$956
KR
$5,081
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PE
16.2
KR
25.2

South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Peru leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PE
26.0
KR
19.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PE
2.0t
KR
11.4t

Peru generally does better on environment, though South Korea leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PE
9.3
KR
45.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PE
7.2%
KR
85.2%

South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Peru leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PE
4.8%
KR
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PE
$15,100
KR
$50,600

South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Peru leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PE
68.9 yrs
KR
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PE
10.8
KR
2.9

South Korea performs significantly better than Peru across all family life metrics.

Data: Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas y de Administración Tributaria, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Lima Rain: 0.5 in/yr (13 mm)
72° / 62°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lima Seoul
Jan–Mar 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) 73°/56°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/58°F (19°/15°C) 83°/70°F (28°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) 54°/38°F (12°/4°C)
View all months
Month Lima Seoul
Jan 78°/66°F (25.8°/19.1°C) 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C)
Feb 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.4°C) 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C)
Mar 79°/67°F (26.0°/19.2°C) 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C)
Apr 76°/64°F (24.3°/17.6°C) 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C)
May 71°/61°F (21.7°/16.1°C) 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C)
Jun 67°/60°F (19.7°/15.3°C) 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C)
Jul 66°/59°F (18.7°/15.0°C) 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C)
Aug 65°/58°F (18.4°/14.6°C) 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C)
Sep 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C)
Oct 68°/59°F (19.9°/15.2°C) 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C)
Nov 71°/62°F (21.9°/16.4°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C)
Dec 75°/64°F (23.9°/17.7°C) 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C)

Data: Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología del Perú Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología del Perú, Korea Meteorological Administration Korea Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Peru 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.

Peru passport

Peru passport holder visiting South Korea

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

South Korea passport holder visiting Peru

Visa Free
South Korea passport holders can enter Peru without a 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 Peru?

On average South Korea is around 61% pricier than Peru, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to South Korea?

Budget about ₩45,285,199 for 3 months in South Korea (based on a PEN255,045 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?

South Korea performs significantly better than Peru across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.7 in Peru. About 64% of people in South Korea feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Peru?

South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Peru leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 16.2 in Peru. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Peru: 71).

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

The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 72°F in Lima. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Lima gets 0.5 in.

What language do they speak in South Korea?

The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Peru, the official languages are Aymara, Quechua and Spanish.

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At a Glance

PE KR
Population 32,275,736 51,844,834
Currency Peruvian Nuevo Sol (PEN) South Korean Won (₩)
Languages Aymara, Quechua, Spanish Korean
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +51 +82
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 105 112