Ubud (Bali)vsSeoul
💰
Seoul saves you $400/month
18% cheaper on rent, food & transport
📶
Seoul has 4x faster internet
200 Mbps avg download speed
🌡️
Tropical Wet vs Continental climate
Different weather patterns year-round
🛂
South Korea offers a digital nomad visa
Long-stay visa for remote workers
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Ubud (Bali)
Seoul
Total Budget
$2,200/mo
$1,800/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$800/mo ✓
$850/mo
Coworking
$220/mo ✓
$250/mo
Meal Out
$3 ✓
$7
Coffee
$2.5 ✓
$4.5
Seoul is $400/mo cheaper (22% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇮🇩 Ubud (Bali)
📶 Internet50 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+8
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 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
Ubud (Bali)
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp25°C
Rainy Days274/year
Seoul
ClimateContinental
Avg Temp13°C
Rainy Days108/year
Best months: May, June
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
25°-3°
Apr
25°12°
Jul
24°26°
Oct
25°15°
Ubud (Bali)Seoul
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇮🇩Ubud (Bali)
🇰🇷Seoul
💰
Monthly Budget
$2,200
$1,800
Winner📶
Internet Speed
50 Mbps
200 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
3.8/5
4.8/5
Winner⭐
Nomad Score
4.2/10
4.2/10
🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
10/10
🎉
Nightlife
6/10
8/10
Winner🚶
Walkability
6/10
8/10
Winner👥
Community
large
large
0
Ubud (Bali) wins
vs
5
Seoul wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Seoul
$400/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Seoul
200 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Either works
Similar social opportunities
🛡️Safety-First
Seoul
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Seoul
World-famous nightlife scene
🇮🇩Ubud (Bali)
Pros
- +Lower cost of living than Western cities with comfortable lifestyle from around 1,500–2,200 USD per month depending on villa and extras
- +Several established coworking spaces such as Outpost Ubud, Outpost Penestanan, Beluna and Ubud.Space with reliable high speed internet
- +Strong digital nomad and expat community with multiple Facebook groups and regular meetups across Bali
- +Excellent café scene with many laptop friendly spots serving good coffee, smoothie bowls and vegan food
Cons
- −Traffic can be congested on the narrow roads around the centre, especially at peak hours
- −Sidewalks are inconsistent or broken, so walking can be tiring and not always safe at night
- −Air quality can dip during regional burning season and on very busy traffic days
- −You generally need a scooter or frequent taxis or Gojek rides to move efficiently
🇰🇷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
