Moving to United States from South Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Korea to United States — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Korea to United States, you would find that United States is 84.6% more expensive than South Korea overall. A ₩111,594,750 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly $118,625 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Korea to United States.
What does your salary buy?
₩111,594,750 → $118,625
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.3 times more
Groceries
pay 1.0% less
Transportation
pay 37.7% more
Housing
pay 2.9 times more
Childcare
pay 2.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 76.1% 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.
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 States cost about 102% more 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 United States, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from South Korea to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
11.1,038,778
South Korea
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Korea and United States 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 performs better than United States 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
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States 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 United States leads in air pollution deaths.
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 States 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 States 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 States 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 | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
South Korea passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States 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 States than South Korea?
Day-to-day costs in United States run about 58% higher than South Korea on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ₩111,594,750 comparable salary, that's around $29,656 in United States for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United States?
With 37.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United States 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 United States.
Is United States safe for expats?
South Korea performs better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea. About 63% of people in United States feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in United States compared to South Korea?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in United States compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
The official language in United States is English. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
