Moving to South Korea from Yemen

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Yemen to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 80.6% more expensive than Yemen overall. A YER17,863,500 salary in Yemen would need to be roughly ₩136,998,179 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 ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

YER17,863,500 ₩136,998,179

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 9.4% less

Groceries

pay 41.1% more

Transportation

pay 28.1% less

Housing

pay 69.2% more

Childcare

pay 5.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 12.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 YER = 6.25 KRW (July 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.

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 Yemen to South Korea, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
208 ↓ 22% vs 2022

people moved from Yemen 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 Yemen to South Korea.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

YE
6.3
KR
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

YE
29.8
KR
6.9

South Korea performs significantly better than Yemen across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

YE
$169
KR
$5,081
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

YE
2.9
KR
25.2

South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Yemen leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

YE
109.0
KR
19.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

YE
0.3t
KR
11.4t

Yemen generally does better on environment, though South Korea leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

YE
1.4
KR
45.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

YE
169.8%
KR
85.2%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

YE
17.2%
KR
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

YE
$2,500
KR
$50,600

South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Yemen leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

YE
67.5 yrs
KR
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

YE
46.5
KR
2.9

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

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank, Yemen Tax Authority

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Yemen 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.

Yemen passport

Yemen passport holder visiting South Korea

Visa Required
Yemen passport holders need a visa to enter South Korea.
South Korea passport

South Korea passport holder visiting Yemen

Visa Required
South Korea passport holders need a visa to enter Yemen.

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 Yemen?

No — South Korea is on average about 23% more expensive than Yemen. City-level variation matters.

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

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₩34,249,545 in South Korea on a YER17,863,500 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from South Korea?

Internet is rarely the blocker — South Korea has 45.4 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 South Korea safe for expats?

South Korea performs significantly better than Yemen across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.3 in Yemen.

How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Yemen?

South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Yemen leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 2.9 in Yemen. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Yemen: 42).

What language do they speak in South Korea?

The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Yemen, the official language is Arabic.

Share this

At a Glance

YE KR
Population 30,984,689 51,844,834
Currency Yemeni Rial (YER) South Korean Won (₩)
Languages Arabic Korean
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +967 +82
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112