Moving to India from South Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Korea to India — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Korea to India, you would find that India is 64.5% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩111,594,750 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly ₹2,432,032 in India to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Hindi and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Delhi averages 88°F vs 63°F in Seoul, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Korea to India.
What does your salary buy?
₩111,594,750 → ₹2,432,032
To maintain the same standard of living in India
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 62.8% less
Groceries
pay 75.8% less
Transportation
pay 48.6% less
Housing
pay 73.6% less
Childcare
pay 87.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 44.9% 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.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in India cost about 58% less than cities in South Korea.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
How South Korea and India stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea performs better than India 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
India 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
South Korea generally does better on environment, though India leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though India 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
share of people below the poverty line
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though India 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 better than India across all family life metrics.
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 | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
India Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea and India. To live, work, or study long-term in India, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check India's immigration authority.
South Korea passport holder visiting India
Visa on Arrival
India passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in India than South Korea?
Generally yes: India runs about 66% cheaper than South Korea on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to India?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ₩111,594,750 comparable salary, that's around ₹608,008 in India for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from India?
With 2.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, India can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in South Korea and India.
Is India safe for expats?
South Korea performs better than India across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in India is 2.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea.
How is healthcare in India compared to South Korea?
India generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.3 doctors per 10,000 people in India, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. India scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in India compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in India?
The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
