Moving to South Korea from Taiwan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Taiwan to South Korea? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Taiwan to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 31.1% more expensive than Taiwan overall. A NT$2,400,000 salary in Taiwan would need to be roughly ₩129,000,000 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is South Korea cheaper than Taiwan?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 45.8% more
Groceries
pay 34.8% more
Transportation
pay 12.7% more
Housing
pay 39.6% more
Childcare
pay 8.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 33.1% 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.
What salary do you need in South Korea?
What does your salary buy?
NT$2,400,000 → ₩129,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea
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 South Korea cost about 4% more than cities in Taiwan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Taiwan to South Korea.
people moved from Taiwan to South Korea · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to South Korea?
Top countries of origin for South Korea's foreign-born residents.
- 803,011
- 177,274
- 159,264
- 68,050
- 64,942
- 55,601
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Korea compared to Taiwan.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
South Korea performs significantly better than Taiwan across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Taiwan leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
percentage of adults who can read and write
South Korea generally does better on family life, though Taiwan leads in literacy rate.
Sources: The World Factbook (2012–2022), World Bank (2024–2025), Taxation Administration, Ministry of Finance, R.O.C. (2016), National Tax Service, South Korea (2016). How we calculate this
Can you move from Taiwan to South Korea?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Taiwan and South Korea. To live, work, or study long-term in South Korea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Korea's immigration authority.
Taiwan passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa Free
South Korea passport holder visiting Taiwan
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 South Korea than Taiwan?
On average South Korea is around 31% pricier than Taiwan, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to South Korea?
Budget about ₩32,250,000 for 3 months in South Korea (based on a NT$2,400,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Korea?
From major South Korea cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Taiwan and South Korea are what actually decide it long-term.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Taiwan, the official language is Chinese.
