Moving to South Korea from Portugal
What to Expect
Considering a move from Portugal to South Korea? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Portugal to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 3.3% more expensive than Portugal overall. A €64,304 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly ₩99,709,803 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Portugal and South Korea.
What does your salary buy?
€64,304 → ₩99,709,803
To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 38.9% less
Groceries
pay 89.5% more
Transportation
pay 19.9% less
Housing
pay 28.5% less
Childcare
pay 8.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.8% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Portugal to South Korea.
people moved from Portugal 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 Portugal.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea performs significantly better than Portugal across all safety metrics.
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
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Portugal performs better than South Korea 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
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Portugal 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 performs significantly better than Portugal 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
Portugal generally does better on family life, though South Korea leads in life expectancy.
Data: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, 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 | Lisbon | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera,
Korea Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal 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.
Portugal passport holder visiting South Korea
Electronic Travel Authorisation
South Korea passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa FreeData: 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 Portugal?
On average South Korea is about 12% less expensive than Portugal, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to South Korea?
Budget about ₩24,927,451 for 3 months in South Korea (based on a €64,304 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, 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 Portugal across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Portugal.
How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Portugal?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 57.7 in Portugal. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).
What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
