Moving to Belgium from South Korea
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Korea to Belgium — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Korea to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 72.4% more expensive than South Korea overall. A ₩113,056,500 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly €86,758 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from South Korea to Belgium.
What does your salary buy?
₩113,056,500 → €86,758
To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.8 times more
Groceries
pay 17.0% less
Transportation
pay 85.6% more
Housing
pay 99.7% more
Childcare
pay 43.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 79.3% 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 South Korea to Belgium, based on official data.
people moved from South Korea to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Korea to Belgium.
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 Belgium 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium 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
Belgium performs significantly 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 Belgium 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 Belgium leads in gdp per capita.
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
South Korea generally does better on family life, though Belgium leads in education spending.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, 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 | Seoul | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Institut Royal Météorologique
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea and Belgium. To live, work, or study long-term in Belgium, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Belgium's immigration authority.
South Korea passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa Free
Belgium passport holder visiting South Korea
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 Belgium than South Korea?
No — Belgium is on average about 35% more expensive than South Korea. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Belgium?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €21,690 in Belgium on a ₩113,056,500 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Belgium?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Belgium has 43.5 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 Belgium safe for expats?
South Korea generally does better on safety, though Belgium leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea. About 62% of people in Belgium feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Belgium compared to South Korea?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 63.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Belgium compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Belgium?
The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
