Moving to South Korea from Washington
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Washington to South Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Washington to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 30.7% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly ₩81,678,963 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. What to expect for your wallet after moving from Washington to South Korea. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → ₩81,678,963 To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day Restaurants pay 56.2% less Groceries pay 14.1% more Transportation pay 25.4% less Housing pay 56.4% less Childcare pay 59.3% less Entertainment and Sports pay 39.6% 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 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 42% less than cities in Washington. Compare cities head-to-head 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. How many people actually move from Washington to South Korea, based on official data. people moved from United States to South Korea · OECD (latest data available) Top countries of origin for South Korea's foreign-born residents. Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Washington to South Korea. share of adults with obesity South Korea performs significantly better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics. share of households with internet South Korea performs significantly better than Washington across all infrastructure metrics. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person share of people below the poverty line Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though South Korea leads in unemployment rate. average years of life at birth South Korea performs significantly better than Washington 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) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: 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 holder visiting South Korea South Korea passport holder visiting United States Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. Yes — South Korea is on average about 29% cheaper than Washington. City-level variation can be significant. Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₩20,419,741 in South Korea on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees). 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. South Korea performs significantly better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics. The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in. The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Washington, the official language is English. How Far Will Your Money Go?
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Olympia Seoul Jan–Mar 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) Apr–Jun 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) Jul–Sep 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) Oct–Dec 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) View all months
Month Olympia Seoul Jan 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) Feb 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) Mar 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) Apr 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) May 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) Jun 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) Jul 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) Aug 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) Sep 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) Oct 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) Nov 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) Dec 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) 
National Weather Service, 
Korea Meteorological Administration Visitor Visa Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
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