South Korea
Asia
Key facts
- Capital
- Seoul
- Population
- 51,684,564
- 2025
- Area
- 100,460 km²
- Official language
- Korean
- Currency
- South Korean Won
- KRW
- GDP per capita
- US$36,227
- 2025
- Dual citizenship
- Allowed with conditions
- South Korea allows dual nationality only in limited cases: Koreans who voluntarily naturalise abroad lose Korean nationality, while some new citizens may keep theirs by pledge.
South Korea (Asia) has data on 12/14 Prosperous Intelligence indices. Strongest relative position: Passport Index — #2/198 (96.8/100). Lowest relative position: Tax Freedom Index — #136/145 (41.2/100). The passport ranks #2/198 and reaches 203 destinations without a consular visa in advance. Global Citizenship Score 80.8/100 (#24/199). On the entry side, 110/197 passports can enter South Korea without a consular visa in advance. The dataset records 4 active citizenship and residence programmes in South Korea.
Scores on 12 indices
- Health & Longevity78.0
- Safety & Stability88.7
- Economy & Income81.7
- Education87.8
- Environment & Clean Water71.7
- Infrastructure96.7
- Digital Connectivity93.5
- Equality69.8
- Learning Quality100.0
- Educational Attainment85.5
- Expected Years of Schooling98.5
- Education Spending71.7
- Basic Access73.7
- Violent Crime99.5
- Stability & Absence of Terrorism79.4
- Law Enforcement & Order82.8
- Road Safety80.6
- Absence of Armed Conflict100.0
- Health Outcomes98.9
- Coverage & Access100.0
- Health Workforce & Facilities70.0
- Spending & Investment49.0
- Financial Protection55.3
- Personal Income Tax10.0
- Capital Gains & Dividends47.1
- System & Incentives45.0
- Net Wealth Tax100.0
- Inheritance & Gift Tax20.0
- Corporate & Social Security44.5
- Rule of Law & Property Rights75.8
- Political Stability79.4
- Institutions & Regulation84.4
- Financial Soundness60.9
- Monetary Stability84.2
- Freedom of Capital Movement85.0
- Education87.8
- Healthcare78.0
- Safety88.7
- Quality of Life82.3
- Cost of living65.5
- Passport96.8
- Passport96.8
- Quality of Life82.3
- Safety88.7
- Healthcare78.0
- Purchasing power & price stability72.0
- Education87.8
- Wealth Protection77.6
- Tax41.2
- Cost of living65.5
- Healthcare78.0
- Safety88.7
- Quality of Life82.3
- Tax41.2
- Wealth Protection77.6
- Affordable Prices57.5
- Price Stability84.2
- Purchasing power68.9
Monthly living costs
- Total incl. rentUS$868Rank 3 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Total excl. rentUS$379Rank 5 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Housing & utilitiesUS$525Rank 2 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Core food basketUS$143Rank 23 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- A fixed basket of 15 everyday items at online retail prices; not a household’s full food spending.
- Eating outUS$113Rank 6 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- TransportUS$46Rank 10 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Internet & mobileUS$41Rank 5 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- 2 adults, 2 primary-school children
- Total incl. rentUS$1,608Rank 3 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Total excl. rentUS$981Rank 9 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Housing & utilitiesUS$730Rank 1 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Core food basketUS$458Rank 23 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- A fixed basket of 15 everyday items at online retail prices; not a household’s full food spending.
- Eating outUS$226Rank 6 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- TransportUS$129Rank 8 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Internet & mobileUS$65Rank 8 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
At a glance
Entering South Korea
- Visa-free: 22 passports
- Visa on arrival: 0 passports
- eTA: 88 passports
- e-Visa: 0 passports
- Consular visa required: 87 passports
Regional position and data sources
- First in Asia on 0/12 indices
- Above the regional median on 10/12 indices
- Each index lists its source and data date on the Data sources page
Citizenship and residence programmes in the dataset
- D-8 Corporate Investment (D-8-1) & D-8-4 Tech Startup
- Workation Visa (F-1-D)
- Tourism & Leisure Facility (Real Estate) Investment Immigration - F-2 / F-5
- and 1 more programmes
Frequently asked questions about South Korea
What is the capital of South Korea?
The capital of South Korea is Seoul.
What is the population of South Korea?
According to the World Bank, South Korea had a population of 51,684,564 in 2025.
What is the official language of South Korea?
The official language of South Korea is Korean.
What currency does South Korea use?
South Korea uses the South Korean Won (KRW).
Does South Korea allow dual citizenship?
South Korea allows dual nationality only in limited cases: Koreans who voluntarily naturalise abroad lose Korean nationality, while some new citizens may keep theirs by pledge.
How strong is the South Korea passport?
The South Korea passport ranks #2 of 198 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Passport Index and reaches 203 destinations without applying for a consular visa in advance (visa-free, visa on arrival or eTA).
How many destinations require a visa for South Korea passport holders?
Holders of the South Korea passport must apply for a consular visa before travelling to 14 destinations and need an e-Visa for 30. Full list: South Korea passport page.
How many passports can enter South Korea without applying for a visa in advance?
110 of 197 passports can enter South Korea without applying for a consular visa in advance: 22 visa-free and 88 with an eTA. 87 must apply for a consular visa.
What citizenship and residency programmes does South Korea offer?
The Prosperous Intelligence dataset records 4 active citizenship and residency programmes in South Korea: D-8 Corporate Investment (D-8-1) & D-8-4 Tech Startup, Workation Visa (F-1-D), Tourism & Leisure Facility (Real Estate) Investment Immigration - F-2 / F-5 and 1 more. Details: Opportunity Map.
What is the minimum investment for residency or citizenship in South Korea?
In South Korea, D-8 Corporate Investment (D-8-1) & D-8-4 Tech Startup requires a minimum investment of US$72,000 and Tourism & Leisure Facility (Real Estate) Investment Immigration - F-2 / F-5 requires US$720,000 (reference USD conversion).
How long does an application take in South Korea?
In South Korea, an application under Workation Visa (F-1-D) takes about 0–1 months and Startup Visa D-8-4 (OASIS) about 1–3 months (reference processing time).
How long does it take to become a citizen of South Korea through these programmes?
Through D-8 Corporate Investment (D-8-1) & D-8-4 Tech Startup, citizenship of South Korea is possible after about 5 years, after a period of permanent residence; through Tourism & Leisure Facility (Real Estate) Investment Immigration - F-2 / F-5, citizenship of South Korea is possible after about 5 years, after a period of permanent residence; through Startup Visa D-8-4 (OASIS), citizenship of South Korea is possible after about 5 years, after a period of permanent residence (reference time).
How many days a year do you need to spend in South Korea?
In South Korea, Workation Visa (F-1-D) requires 365 days of physical presence a year and Startup Visa D-8-4 (OASIS) 0 days (reference figure).
Can family members join programmes in South Korea?
Family members included: D-8 Corporate Investment (D-8-1) & D-8-4 Tech Startup: spouse and children under 19; Workation Visa (F-1-D): spouse and children under 18; Tourism & Leisure Facility (Real Estate) Investment Immigration - F-2 / F-5: spouse.
Where is South Korea strongest and weakest in Prosperous Intelligence’s indices?
Relative to other countries, South Korea is strongest on the Passport Index (#2 of 198) and weakest on the Tax Freedom Index (#136 of 145).
How does South Korea rank for quality of life?
South Korea scores 82.3/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Quality of Life Index, ranking #24 of 211.
Is South Korea expensive to live in?
South Korea scores 65.5/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Cost of Living Index, ranking #115 of 200. This is the affordability-of-living-costs score: a higher score means lower prices.
How safe is South Korea?
South Korea scores 88.7/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Global Safety Index, ranking #38 of 203.
How does South Korea rank for healthcare?
South Korea scores 78.0/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Healthcare Index, ranking #24 of 192.
How does South Korea rank for education?
South Korea scores 87.8/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Education Index, ranking #6 of 191.
What the profile contains
- Key facts from government and international sources
- Scores and global ranks on 12 Prosperous Intelligence indices
- Entry rules, passport strength and residency programmes
Why the profile matters
- Compare one country across many criteria on a single page
- Not a substitute for legal, tax or investment advice
Method
- How each index is scored and weighted
- The limits of the data and how to check official sources
