Beijing vs Seoul
🛂
South Korea offers a digital nomad visa
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Beijing
Seoul
Total Budget
$1,800/mo
$1,800/mo
Rent (1BR)
$750/mo ✓
$850/mo
Coworking
$180/mo ✓
$250/mo
Meal Out
$4 ✓
$7
Coffee
$4 ✓
$4.5
Both cities have similar costs
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🌍 Beijing
📶 Internet200 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+8
🗣️ Englishlow
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London3h
🇩🇪 Berlin4h
🇰🇷 Seoul
📶 Internet200 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+8
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London3h
🇩🇪 Berlin4h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Beijing
ClimateContinental
Avg Temp14°C
Rainy Days62/year
Best months: June, April, May, September
Seoul
ClimateContinental
Avg Temp13°C
Rainy Days108/year
Best months: May, June
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
-2°-3°
Apr
16°12°
Jul
28°26°
Oct
13°15°
BeijingSeoul
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🌍Beijing
🇰🇷Seoul
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,800
$1,800
📶
Internet Speed
200 Mbps
200 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
4.5/5
4.8/5
⭐
Nomad Score
4/10
4.2/10
🍽️
Food Scene
10/10
10/10
🎉
Nightlife
8/10
8/10
🚶
Walkability
7/10
8/10
👥
Community
medium
large
Winner0
Beijing wins
vs
1
Seoul wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Either works
Similar costs - choose based on other factors
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
Seoul
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Either works
Both cities are similarly safe
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🌍Beijing
Pros
- +Incredibly rich history and culture with UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- +Excellent public transportation with extensive metro network
- +Very safe city with low crime rates
- +World-class food scene from street food to fine dining
Cons
- −Internet censorship requires VPN for many Western sites
- −Air pollution can be severe especially in winter
- −Language barrier with limited English outside expat areas
- −Cold winters with temperatures dropping below -10C
🇰🇷Seoul
Pros
- +World-class internet infrastructure and 5G coverage
- +Incredibly safe city with very low crime rates
- +Exceptional public transportation system (metro and buses)
- +Amazing food scene from street food to Michelin restaurants
Cons
- −Cold harsh winters can reach -15°C
- −Language barrier - many locals hesitant to speak English
- −Higher cost of living compared to Southeast Asia
- −Hot and humid summers with monsoon rains