Safety Index
#12
of 124 cities
75.4/100
Current value
#70 of 124
Asia
Seoul
South Korea
Salary & Cost of Living
How do salaries and expenses in Seoul compare to San Francisco?
Purchasing Power Comparison
An engineer in Seoul is 48% 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.
Net Salary
$47,494
-$125K (-72%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 28%
Community Insights
NewSeoul offers a dynamic, fast-paced environment with world-class infrastructure and safety, but it demands significant adaptation to its intense work culture and hierarchical social structures. For software engineers, the financial trade-off involves accepting lower raw salaries compared to the US in exchange for a highly convenient, safe, and modern lifestyle. Success largely depends on Korean language fluency and the ability to navigate a rigid corporate atmosphere.
Resident Sentiment
Sentiment is mixed to cautious. Many expats love the safety and convenience outside of work but frequently vent about burnout and isolation due to the language barrier and workplace hierarchy. There is a common theme of "love the city, hate the work culture," with some long-term residents eventually leaving for better work-life balance in the West.
The Good
Rankings
Top 10%
Community Events
#28
of 124 cities
12 events on luma
Current value
Tax Rate
#32
of 124 cities
28%
Current value (lower is better)
Housing Affordability
How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Seoul compared to San Francisco?
Avg. Property Price
$16,528 / m²
65% more expensive than San Francisco
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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