Moving to United Kingdom from South Korea
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Korea to United Kingdom — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Korea to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 50.6% more expensive than South Korea overall. A ₩100,000,000 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly £84,700 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is United Kingdom cheaper than South Korea?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 41.1% less
Transportation
pay 68.5% more
Housing
pay 2.3 times more
Childcare
pay 82.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 48.3% 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.
What salary do you need in United Kingdom?
What does your salary buy?
₩100,000,000 → £84,700
To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom
Calculate with your salary →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 United Kingdom cost about 50% more than cities in South Korea.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to United Kingdom
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from South Korea to United Kingdom, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Korea to United Kingdom.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom 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
share of households with internet
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Service, South Korea (2016), HM Revenue & Customs (2016), The World Factbook (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in United Kingdom vs South Korea
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Seoul | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) |
Korea Meteorological Administration
Met OfficeCan you move from South Korea to United Kingdom?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.
South Korea passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom than South Korea?
No — United Kingdom is on average about 51% more expensive than South Korea. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly £21,175 in United Kingdom on a ₩100,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?
Internet is rarely the blocker — United Kingdom has 42.2 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 United Kingdom safe for expats?
South Korea generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea.
How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to South Korea?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.0 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 26.1 in South Korea. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in United Kingdom?
The official language in United Kingdom is English. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
