Relocation intelligence

🇰🇷 Moving to South Korea: tax, residency and cost of living

Progressive worldwide income tax with national rates from 6 to 45 percent, plus a local income tax equal to 10 percent of the national tax, giving a top effective marginal rate of 49.5 percent. Mandatory employee contributions (pension, health, long-term care, employment) are deductible. No general wealth tax but high inheritance tax. VAT 10 percent.

Thinking of moving to South Korea? Here is the tax, residency, property and quality-of-life picture in plain numbers, with sources.

Key facts

Top income tax
49.5%
Corporate tax
24%
Capital gains
22%
Wealth tax
No
Inheritance tax
Yes
Cost of living index
57
Safety
8/10
Internet quality
10/10
Visa-free destinations
188
Foreigners can own property
Yes
Residency in
0 months
Citizenship in
0 years

Taxes

National progressive rates 6/15/24/35/38/40/42/45 percent in KRW, plus a 10 percent local surcharge on the tax, so effectively up to 49.5 percent. Social contributions are deductible before tax is computed.

Residency and visas

Residency is available via work, investment (F-2/F-5 immigrant investor routes) or family; naturalisation after about five years with a language test.

Property ownership

Foreigners may buy residential property; since 2026 additional permit rules apply in certain zones.

Cost of living and quality of life

High-tech society with excellent healthcare and safety, but long working hours and a language barrier.

Passport and mobility

The South Korean passport ranks second worldwide with visa-free access to 188 destinations (Henley 2026).

Why people move to South Korea

  • World-class infrastructure and safety

    South Korea offers the world's fastest internet, excellent healthcare and very low crime, ideal for digital professionals and families.

  • Powerful passport and accessible ownership

    Naturalised citizens gain one of the world's strongest passports with visa-free access to 188 destinations, and foreigners may generally own real estate.

Honest trade-offs

  • Fiscaal inwoners worden belast op hun wereldwijde inkomen tegen een gecombineerd toptarief van 49,5 procent (45 procent nationaal plus een lokale inkomstenbelasting van 10 procent daarbovenop) op inkomen boven 1 miljard KRW.
  • Zuid-Korea heft een zeer hoge erfbelasting die kan oplopen tot ongeveer 50 procent, een van de hoogste tarieven ter wereld.
  • Naturalisatie vereist doorgaans minstens vijf jaar onafgebroken verblijf, aantoonbare Koreaanse taalvaardigheid en in de meeste gevallen het afstand doen van de oorspronkelijke nationaliteit.
  • De sociale premies stegen per 1 januari 2026 opnieuw omdat het nationale pensioen van 9,0 naar 9,5 procent ging en de zorgpremie omhoog ging, waardoor het nettoloon van werknemers daalt.

See how South Korea scores for your situation

Get your personal Freedom Score and a full relocation comparison based on your income, family and goals.

Calculate my score

Sources

Other destinations

AndorraUnited Arab EmiratesAfghanistanAntigua & BarbudaAnguillaAlbaniaArmeniaAngolaArgentinaAmerican SamoaAustriaAustralia