Moving to Thailand from South Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Korea to Thailand — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Korea to Thailand, you would find that Thailand is 22.0% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩111,594,750 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly THB2,004,800 in Thailand to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Thai. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bangkok averages 91°F vs 63°F in Seoul, making it significantly warmer.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Korea to Thailand.
What does your salary buy?
₩111,594,750 → THB2,004,800
To maintain the same standard of living in Thailand
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 34.8% less
Groceries
pay 42.2% less
Transportation
pay 2.8% more
Housing
pay 26.7% less
Childcare
pay 15.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.1% 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 Thailand cost about 19% less than cities in South Korea.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from South Korea to Thailand, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Korea and Thailand stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
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 Thailand 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Thailand leads in healthcare spending per person.
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 Thailand 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 Thailand 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
Thailand generally does better on employment & economy, though South Korea 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
South Korea performs better than Thailand 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 | Bangkok |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 93°/78°F (34°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 89°/73°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Bangkok |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 90°/70°F (32.0°/21.0°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.3°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 93°/77°F (33.7°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 95°/79°F (34.9°/26.1°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 93°/78°F (34.0°/25.6°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.4°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.0°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.3°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.1°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.8°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Thai Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea and Thailand. To live, work, or study long-term in Thailand, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Thailand's immigration authority.
South Korea passport holder visiting Thailand
Visa Free
Thailand passport holder visiting South Korea
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Thailand than South Korea?
Generally yes: Thailand runs about 20% cheaper than South Korea on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Thailand?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ₩111,594,750 comparable salary, that's around THB501,200 in Thailand for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Thailand?
With 17.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Thailand 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 Thailand.
Is Thailand safe for expats?
South Korea generally does better on safety, though Thailand leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Thailand is 4.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea. About 67% of people in Thailand feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Thailand compared to South Korea?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Thailand leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 9.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Thailand, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. Thailand scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Thailand compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Bangkok is 91°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Bangkok receives around 59.0 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Thailand?
The official language in Thailand is Thai. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
