Moving to South Korea from Texas

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Texas to South Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Texas to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 22.4% cheaper than Texas. A $75,000 salary in Texas would need to be roughly ₩94,739,675 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Seoul averages 63°F vs 79°F in Austin, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Texas to South Korea.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 ₩94,739,675

To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 53.2% less

Groceries

pay 30.7% more

Transportation

pay 10.3% less

Housing

pay 55.0% less

Childcare

pay 46.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 26.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate:1 USD = 1535.29 KRW(June 2026)

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 South Korea cost about 28% less than cities in Texas.

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to South Korea

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 Texas to South Korea, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
23,710 ↑ 10% vs 2022

people moved from United States to South Korea · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to South Korea?

Top countries of origin for South Korea's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Texas to South Korea.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

TX
36.8%
KR
4.7%

South Korea performs significantly better than Texas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

TX
90.1%
KR
98.0%

South Korea performs significantly better than Texas across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

TX
3.9%
KR
2.6%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

TX
$70,071
KR
$50,600

Texas generally does better on employment & economy, though South Korea leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

TX
76.5 yrs
KR
83.0 yrs

South Korea performs significantly better than Texas across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

AustinRain: 36.2 in/yr (920 mm)
79°/55°F

Avg. annual high / low

SeoulRain: 55.8 in/yr (1418 mm)
63°/48°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsAustinSeoul
Jan–Mar65°/40°F (18°/5°C)43°/28°F (6°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun85°/63°F (29°/17°C)73°/56°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep93°/70°F (34°/21°C)83°/70°F (28°/21°C)
Oct–Dec71°/47°F (22°/8°C)54°/38°F (12°/4°C)
View all months
MonthAustinSeoul
Jan61°/37°F (15.9°/2.9°C)36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C)
Feb64°/39°F (17.6°/3.8°C)41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C)
Mar71°/45°F (21.6°/7.4°C)52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C)
Apr79°/55°F (25.9°/12.8°C)64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C)
May85°/64°F (29.7°/17.7°C)74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C)
Jun91°/70°F (32.8°/21.0°C)82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C)
Jul94°/72°F (34.7°/22.3°C)84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C)
Aug96°/72°F (35.4°/22.1°C)86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C)
Sep90°/67°F (32.3°/19.2°C)79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C)
Oct81°/57°F (27.3°/13.7°C)68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C)
Nov71°/47°F (21.4°/8.4°C)53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C)
Dec62°/38°F (16.5°/3.4°C)40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Korea Meteorological Administration Korea Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting South Korea

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter South Korea without a visa.
South Korea passport

South Korea passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
South Korea passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.

Data: 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 Texas?

Yes — South Korea is on average about 18% cheaper than Texas. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to South Korea?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₩23,684,919 in South Korea on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from South Korea?

Usually fine from major cities in South Korea. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Texas?

South Korea performs significantly better than Texas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Texas?

The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 79°F in Austin. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Austin gets 36.2 in.

What language do they speak in South Korea?

The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Texas, the official language is English.

Share this

At a Glance

KR
Population25,145,56151,844,834
CurrencyUnited States Dollar ($)South Korean Won (₩)
LanguagesEnglishKorean
Driving sideRightRight
Calling code+1+82
Time zones111
Emergency number911112