Seoul
Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital and largest city of South Korea, and the largest city in the whole of Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's sixth largest metropolitan economy in 2022, behind New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Paris, and London, and hosts more than half of South Korea's population. Although Seoul's population peaked at over 10 million, it has gradually decreased since 2014, standing at about 9.6 million residents as of 2024. Seoul is the seat of the South Korean government.
Should you base here?
What this city's own numbers say about who it fits, how long you can realistically stay, and what to weigh before committing.
A good base for
- Heavy remote work — median internet is fast enough for calls and uploads
- Working out of cafés and coworking — there's a real scene here
- Travelers who prioritise feeling safe day to day
Less ideal for
Nothing here looks like a dealbreaker on the data we track.
How long can you stay?
We don't have the visa window for this country on file yet — check the official source below before planning.
What to weigh first
- BudgetWorth a look Monthly costs land around $2,800 — mid-range, so plan your runway.
Before you commit
This is a starting point, not legal or tax advice. Rules change — always confirm with official government sources before making plans.
Want this as a shareable brief — the trade-offs, a stay-length plan, and the checks to run? Generate a Decision Report (Pro).
Decision Report
A one-page brief for this city — your Fit Score, monthly cost, visa difficulty, tax-residency risk, best months, and the caveats to check first.
| Metric | Value | Score | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Speed | 195 Mbps | 10/10 | Estimated | |
| Cost of Living | $2,800 /mo | 5/10 | Estimated | |
| Rent 1BR | $1,100 /mo | 7/10 | Estimated | |
| Safety Score | 9 /10 | 9/10 | Estimated | |
| Coworking | 60 spaces | 10/10 | ||
| Avg Temperature | 12.2°C | 6/10 |
Rent: 1BR city-centre estimate (USD/mo) compiled from NomadList, Expatistan and public nomad guides. Not officially sourced — use as a comparison signal, not a quote.
Cost breakdown
Assumes a central, single-occupancy lifestyle with moderate eating out. The total includes rent; non-rent items are estimated from regional patterns.
| Item | Detail | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | Central 1BR apartment | $1,100 | 39% |
| Food | Groceries + moderate dining out | $816 | 29% |
| Transport & comms | Local transit + mobile / internet | $374 | 13% |
| Other | Leisure, essentials, buffer | $510 | 18% |
| Total | Monthly estimate | $2,800 | 100% |
Rent is a published estimate (actual figure); other items are an estimated split of the total.
Climate Overview
Monthly temperature averaged from 2015–2024 (Open-Meteo archive). Humidity is an estimate from annual average.
| Metric | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Avg temperature | 12.2°C | 2015–2024 average |
| Warmest month | 29.18°C | Aug |
| Coldest month | -6.63°C | Jan |
| Humidity (annual) | 73% | Comfort range 40–60% |
| Sunshine | 3,141 h | Annual total |
| Precipitation | 1,236 mm | Annual total |
Air Quality
ModerateObserved: 2026-07-28 15:00
Visa Information
| N/A |
Tax Overview
| N/A |
Next Actions
Everything you need to move here.
| Find a stay | Hotels & apartments via Booking.com | Browse stays → |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad insurance | Global health coverage from SafetyWing | Get insured → |
| Get an eSIM | Stay connected on arrival with Airalo | View eSIM plans → |
| Move money | Low-fee international transfers with Wise | Open account → |
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