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Mohamed Oun
Seoul
#66 of 124
Asia

Seoul

South Korea

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Seoul compare to San Francisco?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Seoul is 43% worse off vs in San Francisco

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Seoul compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$68,151
-$205K (-75%) vs San Francisco
Based on 272 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$49,069
-$124K (-72%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 28%

Community Insights

New
7.2/10

Seoul offers a high-octane urban experience that blends futuristic convenience with deep-rooted tradition. For software engineers, the financial reality is mixed; while the cost of living is lower than in SF or NYC, salaries are also significantly lower, meaning the savings potential is often reduced unless working for top-tier firms like Coupang or Samsung. The work-life balance is the most cited grievance, with a corporate culture that values face time and hierarchy over flexibility, though some modern startups are shifting this trend. Life outside of work is widely praised for its safety, endless entertainment, and ease of access, but the language barrier remains a formidable wall for long-term settlement.

The Good

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to San Francisco.

Rankings

Safety Index

Top 15%

#18

of 124 cities

74.5/100

Current value

Community Events

Top 25%

#31

of 124 cities

15 events on luma

Current value

Tax Rate

Top 27%

#33

of 124 cities

28%

Current value (lower is better)

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Seoul compared to San Francisco?

Avg. Property Price
$13,851 / m²
40% more expensive than San Francisco
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Seoul to maintain the same standard of living.

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Cost of Living
50% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Seoul

Coupang logo
Coupang
Naver logo
Naver
Samsung logo
Samsung
World-class safety: consistently ranked as one of the safest major cities globally, allowing for stress-free walking alone at night.
  • Incredible convenience: widely celebrated 24/7 culture with lightning-fast delivery for food (Coupang Eats, Baemin) and goods.
  • Efficient public transit: the subway and bus systems are extensive, clean, cheap, and punctual, making car ownership unnecessary.
  • Vibrant nightlife & food: endless options for dining, cafes, and entertainment that stay open very late, with a relatively low cost for dining out.
  • Internet speed: boasts some of the fastest and most reliable residential and mobile internet speeds in the world.

    • The Bad

    • Intense work culture: widespread complaints about 'yageun' (overtime), rigid hierarchy, and pressure to attend after-work drinking events (hweshik).
    • Poor air quality: frequent issues with 'yellow dust' and fine particulate matter, especially in spring, leading to respiratory discomfort.
    • High housing deposits: the 'Jeonse' (huge lump-sum deposit) and 'Wolse' systems often require significantly higher security deposits than Western renters expect.
    • Language barrier: while you can survive with English, deep social integration and handling administrative tasks (banking, government) is very difficult without fluent Korean.
    • Social isolation: expats often report feeling like perpetual outsiders due to cultural homogeneity and the 'foreigner' bubble.

    Moving Here

    Moderate

    Moving is generally moderate. Visa options like the E-7 (Special Occupation) are standard for engineers with degrees, and the F-2-7 (points-based resident) visa offers a great long-term path. However, finding English-speaking jobs is competitive, and the administrative friction (banking, phone setup) for newcomers is high without local help. The expat community is active but can be transient.

    Who Is This City For?

    Young, single professionals looking for a fast-paced metropolitan adventure who value safety and nightlife over work-life balance. Also great for those willing to learn Korean to unlock the full social experience.

    Updated 1/20/2026

    Weather3.6/10-59% vs San Francisco
    Safety75+89%
    Pollution48-1%
    Events15-81%
    3.6/10TechCities weather score vs 8.7/10 in San Francisco

    0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

    Weather snapshot

    Average High
    16°C(vs 19°C in San Francisco)
    Average Low
    9°C(vs 12°C in San Francisco)
    Sunshine Hours
    2,066h/yr-996h/yr(-33%)
    Hottest Month High
    29°C(vs 22°C in San Francisco)
    Coldest Month Low
    -6°C(vs 8°C in San Francisco)
    Rainy Days
    83/yr+35/yr(+71%)

    Community & Quality

    Seoul community pulse

    Seoul has 15 Luma events listed.

    81% fewer events than San Francisco.

    Cost of Living

    Middle of the pack

    #48

    of 124 cities

    44/100

    Current value (lower is better)

    Pollution Score

    Middle of the pack

    #64

    of 124 cities

    48.3/100

    Current value (lower is better)

    Purchasing Power

    Middle of the pack

    #66

    of 124 cities

    Net Income

    Middle of the pack

    #72

    of 124 cities

    $49,069/yr

    Current value

    Comfortable Weather

    Bottom 32%

    #85

    of 124 cities

    36/100 weather score

    Current value

    Home Affordability

    Bottom 7%

    #116

    of 124 cities

    ≈22.6 yrs to buy 80m²

    Current value

    SWE Affordability
    22.6 years
    18.0 years longer than San Francisco
    Muggy Days
    64/yr+63/yr(+31650%)
    Cloud Cover
    41%(vs 34% in San Francisco)